Unexpected Interception
The horse galloped, stirring up waves of dust that swept through the air.
The sound of a group of carriages galloping came from afar. The chaotic horse hooves shattered the desolate loneliness of the desert, instantly livening up the atmosphere and stirring up the world. In the midst of the smoke and dust, a dozen armored cavalrymen suddenly appeared on both sides of two gorgeous carriages inlaid with gold and jade. The journey was long and the people in the carriage were tired and sleepy. The horse in front of the carriage lowered its head and headed straight in the only direction, as if it could clearly sense its mission. It could not stop for a moment before it reached the end.
Jing Ke closed his eyes and focused. He sat in the carriage, exceptionally sober. In his hands, he tightly held the two gifts for entering the Qin country: Governor Kang's map and Fan Yuqi's head.
The Qin army had already swept through the entire Zhao country with irresistible force. The next target of the attack was very likely to be the weak neighboring Yan country. If nothing unexpected happened, as long as the cold-blooded tyrant in Xianyang gave the order, the Yan Country would be swallowed up overnight.
Although Jing Ke was not sure how important these two gifts were to the King of Qin, he understood that they were the last and greatest hope for the survival of the Yan Kingdom. Other than that, the only thing that was worth the King of Qin's attention was the entire Yan Kingdom.
Jing Ke held the map tightly, as if he could see the sharp light of the dagger. The light that was aimed at his eyes hurt his chest. His thoughts couldn't help but drift back to the shocking discovery he had made at Madam Xu's sword-forging furnace…
In Madam Xu's swordsmithing room.
Jing Ke stood up and walked around the room. He picked up a dagger from the small box and tried to stab the bronze beside him. However, he didn't use much strength. The dagger stabbed into the bronze like cutting tofu. Jing Ke was shocked. He had never expected that an unremarkable dagger could be so sharp. This made Jing Ke very surprised by Madam Xu's sword-forging skills.
Suddenly, Jing Ke glanced at the dagger and found that the daggers made by Madam Xu were all sharp and thin. It made him suddenly think of the wound on Wu Xiang's corpse. He saw a little blood seeping out, and the wound was just so small, as if it was made by this dagger.
"Sir, look at this dagger. What's so special about it?”Jing Ke handed the dagger to Tian Guang.
"Isn't it just like a normal dagger?”Tian Guang looked at it a few times, but he didn't see anything strange.
"Sir, why don't you take a closer look at the blade of the dagger?”Jing Ke reminded.
"Looking at it closely, it's really a little special. Eh, the blade of this dagger was extremely thin, and its head seemed to be sharper than ordinary daggers.”Tian Guang saw through it.
"That's right. Because of this, if this dagger was used to stab someone, the wound would be very thin on the surface, but it would be extremely deep, just like this slit.”As he spoke, Jing Ke stabbed the dagger into the bronze.
"So what?" Tian Guang was a little puzzled.
"Don't you think this slit is very similar to the wound on Wu Xiang's body?”Jing Ke asked Tian Guang.
Tian Guang narrowed his eyes and stared at the dagger in his hand. Then, he stared at the slit for a while and asked in surprise,"You mean, Wu Xiang should have been killed by this dagger?”
A dagger should be used to kill people? Who should be killed? Dagger had no right to decide.
The mission of a dagger depended on the person who held it tightly. It was the innate mission of the person who held the dagger to stab the chest of the person who killed the living.
Now, they should have already reached the border of the State of Qin, right?
Just as Jing Ke closed his eyes and was deep in thought, the carriage suddenly stopped.
Jing Ke frowned, his eyes shining brightly. He said in a deep voice,""Why did you stop?" "Reporting to Lord Envoy, there are people blocking the road ahead."”
Jing Ke lifted the curtain. A young man wearing a bamboo hat and a blue shirt immediately said. The person had a straight face and bright eyes. He was about 25 or 26 years old. He had two bronze swords on his back, and his expression was solemn, as if he had been waiting here for a long time.
At this moment, Qin Wuyang had already stepped forward and shouted,""Who are you? Why did you stop our carriage?"
The young man glanced at Qin Wuyang and then at Jing Ke, who had lifted the curtain to look at him. He said calmly,""May I ask if this is the carriage of the Yan Country's envoy, Lord Jing Ke?”
When Jing Ke heard the young man's straightforward question, he immediately thought of something and felt that something was wrong. He said,""That's right. May I know your name? What business do you have here?"
The young man smiled and said in a clear voice,""I am Fei Lian. I am here under the orders of the family head to wait for the carriage of the special envoy.”
Although Jing Ke was puzzled, his expression did not change. He said lightly,""May I know your name? What are you waiting for?"
"I don't know," Fei Lian replied."My master only ordered me to invite you to go to the small meeting." As for the master's name, as long as the special envoy went, the master would naturally tell him.”
Jing Ke muttered to himself. When he saw Fei Lian's stance, he understood that this mysterious "master" must have a motive for inviting him over with such good intentions. But what was he after?
Wei Zhuang, who was standing at the side, saw that Jing Ke seemed to be moved. A strange light flashed in his eyes. He pondered for a moment and said in a low voice,"This person's background is unknown, and his master is even more mysterious and strange.”
Jing Ke glanced at Fei Lian and turned his head,""Brother Wei, what do you think we should do?" Wei Zhuang continued,"Although this matter is strange, since someone has invited us, it would be rude not to meet."”
At this moment, Qin Wuyang echoed loudly,""It's good to go and take a look. Even if something happens, what's there to be afraid of with our skills?”
Jing Ke understood that Qin Wuyang was bold and skilled, but what he said was also the truth. On his side, he already had Wei Zhuang, Qin Wuyang, and the other top experts. His ten followers were not weak either. Moreover, he was also curious about what this mysterious master wanted, so he nodded slightly and said calmly,"Alright, please lead the way."
"Please follow me." Fei Lian smiled.”He turned his horse around and urged it on.
A group of carriages followed behind the Feilian and passed through a bamboo forest. After walking along a bumpy road for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, they saw a dense forest. The trees were lush and green, covering the sky and the sun. In front of the forest, there was a lawn that was seven to eight acres in size. There were straw mats laid out, and a few tables of banquets were arranged on the mats.
There were seven or eight people standing beside the main seat of the straw mat. All of them had solemn expressions as they stared at Jing Ke and his group.
The leader was a middle-aged man with a crown on his forehead. His face was like a red rabbit, and his aura was extraordinary. Although he stood there quietly, his body clearly emitted a mighty aura that was ready to be unleashed. At his waist hung an ancient sword.
Standing beside him were two middle-aged men with curly beards. They had thin faces and sharp eyes. Their temples bulged high, and they each held a dazzling weapon in their hands. Behind the two of them stood a few young men. Each of them had a vigorous bearing and were clearly troublesome characters.
Jing Ke's expression was calm as he stepped out of the car and walked forward calmly. He cupped his fists at the middle-aged man in the lead and laughed loudly,"I heard that a mysterious friend wants to see me. Could it be you? Forgive me for my poor eyesight, but I don't know your name. Can you tell me?”
The middle-aged man smiled and said,"Please take a seat and discuss it in detail."”
Jing Ke didn't refuse and sat down calmly. Wei Zhuang and Qin Wuyang were of a lower status. They did not have seats and stood behind Jing Ke.
The middle-aged man first raised his cup and drank with Jing Ke. Then, he slowly said,""I am Tang Jian, a remonstrant of the Chu Kingdom.”
Jing Ke asked in surprise,"Sir, since you are a doctor of the State of Chu, why did you appear in the State of Qin?" Could it be that the Chu Country was also preparing to enter the Qin Country?”
"No." Tang Jian shook his head and said firmly. I have come here through thousands of mountains and rivers, but not to see the King of Qin, Ying Zheng!”
"Then why?" Jing Ke was puzzled.”
"I'm only here for you, Mister." Tang Jian's expression shook as he said in a deep voice.”
Jing Ke took a deep breath and sighed." What Doctor Tang said really makes me confused. Please explain!"”
Tang Jian smiled slightly." Before I answer you, I have a question. I wonder why you have come to the State of Qin?"”
"I am here on the orders of His Majesty and the Crown Prince to meet the King of Qin," Jing Ke said frankly.”"You must present a generous gift when you enter the court," Tang Jian said coldly."I wonder what the special envoy will present?”
Jing Ke didn't understand what Tang Jian meant, so he didn't change his expression and told him frankly,""The map of Yan Country's Governor Kang and the head of Qin Country's General Fan Yuqi.”
Tang Jian's expression suddenly changed and he said proudly,"It's true!" At first, I was not willing to believe it completely, thinking that the rumors must be wrong. I never expected your country to really have such a despicable move! How lamentable!"
"Why do you say that, Doctor Tang?" Jing Ke frowned slightly.”
Tang Jian said sternly," General Fan Yuqi is proficient in the art of war and has been on the battlefield for a long time. It is the Yan Country's great fortune to have him train soldiers and teach them the art of war. It was a pity that the King of Yan only wanted to ingratiate himself with evil thieves and villains. He did not hesitate to offer the heads of such loyal people as a gift. He bowed and groveled. Wouldn't it make the world laugh at him? Moreover, with the poverty and weakness of the Yan Country, only the land of Dukang was rich in products and the people were rich. It could be said that it was the lifeline of the country and the reliance of the people. Now, they actually wanted to offer such an important land to the Qin Country. It was like sending a sheep into the tiger's mouth. Even if they could avoid the disaster of the Qin army at this time, the Yan Country would never be revived!”
Hearing Tang Jian's generous speech, Jing Ke's expression could not help but turn gloomy. He was momentarily speechless.
Tang Jian continued," What's more worrying is that the Qin State obtained the land of Dukang easily. Its strength has increased greatly. It's like a ferocious tiger with wings. It will definitely be even more difficult to tame in the future. With the high talent of the Special Envoy, could he not see that this was a huge defeat? He was gravely mistaken! Big mistake!"
Jing Ke began to understand what Tang Jian meant. He asked,""Then what do you think?"
Tang Jian said proudly," The only way now is to unite Qi, Chu, Wei, and Yan, and repeat Su Qin's plan of 'joining forces' back then. With the combined strength of the four countries, we can stop Ying Zheng's ambition of annexing the six countries. Only then can your country escape the disaster of national subjugation!”
Jing Ke smiled bitterly. Of course, he understood that Tang Jian's words made sense, but it was easier said than done. Firstly, Han and Zhao had been destroyed, and the combined strength of the four countries had been greatly reduced. Moreover, looking at the current situation of each country, it could be said that they were like a plate of loose sand. Monarchs did not want to improve, and nobles were extravagant and licentious. How many people could have such far-sighted vision as Tang Jian? In addition, the King of Qin had already thought of this and constantly sent a large number of spies to sow discord between the countries, causing the countries to fight each other and lose before the battle. The biggest problem in fighting Qin was this.
Jing Ke sighed and continued,""Doctor Tang's words are reasonable, but at this point, there's no time for fire. Other than offering generous gifts, what else can the Yan Country do?”
Tang Jian shook his head." If the Special Envoy turns back his carriage and refuses to offer the map of the Kang Dynasty, things can still be done." Otherwise, the world will be in trouble from now on."
"Doctor Tang, are you asking me to disobey the king's orders and return halfway?" Jing Ke smiled bitterly.”
"That's right," Tang Jian said without hesitation.”
"Forgive me for not being able to obey!" Jing Ke said decisively. How important was this matter? How could Jing Ke return halfway without the King's orders? Where will you put Your Majesty? Where is the Yan Country?"
Jing Ke understood that after planning for such a long time and paying such a heavy price, there was no way out now. Of course, how could the secret be leaked to others?
Upon hearing this, not only did Tang Jian's expression change, but even the burly man, Fei Lian, and the others behind him also changed their expressions.
Tang Jian took a deep breath and said,"If that's the case, then this Tang can only forcefully capture the envoy and his group and hand them over to the King of Yan. In short, the Chu State would never allow the land of Dukang to fall into the hands of the King of Qin.”With that, he clapped his hands, and a group of sword-wielding warriors immediately swarmed out from the forest behind him.
"It's a Long Spear Warrior! Everyone, retreat!”Wei Zhuang, who had traveled through the six states and had seen a lot, recognized these warriors in blue with long spears as the most elite "Long Spear Warriors" in the Chu army. It seemed that Tang Jian had come prepared and would not allow Jing Ke to meet the King of Qin.
Tang Jian unsheathed the sword at his waist and began to exert his arm strength."I'm afraid it's too late to leave now. Men, take down Jing Ke first!" Before he finished speaking, two burly men with curly whiskers had already stepped out of the crowd. One held a copper rod, and the other held a long halberd.
These were two brothers, the eldest Han Chong and the second Han Meng. They were originally experts from Han Country, but because they had offended a noble in the country, they had sought refuge under Tang Jian. Tang Jian knew that these two brothers had extraordinary martial arts skills and were also famous figures in Han Country. This time, he must have wanted to snatch the credit in front of him. He knew that these two people might not be able to deal with Jing Ke alone, but he could use this opportunity to test Jing Ke's strength, so he remained silent.
The Han brothers attacked together, using the move " Splitting the Mountain Alone ". Their long halberds slashed at Jing Ke's neck, and their copper cudgels hit his chest with the momentum of " The Great River Flowing East ". These two weapons were extremely powerful, carrying thick internal strength and had great power when they attacked.
Jing Ke snorted coldly. He turned around and dodged the two weapons as fast as lightning. Then, he unsheathed his sword.
The Han Brothers were shocked to see their opponent missing. Jing Ke moved like lightning and appeared in front of them. The two of them understood and attacked together with a roar.
Jing Ke's long sword was extended." Splitting Heaven and Earth ", he slashed up and down. With a loud " Dang ", the two weapons were knocked away. The Han Brothers were very fierce. They roared like thunder and attacked again with thousands of moves.
With two loud clangs, the three weapons clashed again. The sword was light and the staff was heavy, but under Jing Ke's " Eighteen Shocking Swords ", which had been infused with thick internal energy, the Han brothers 'bodies swayed a few times, and their faces were extremely ugly. Jing Ke stood firmly on the pillar, his expression calm. He did not wait for the Han Brothers to catch their breath. He shouted and swung his sword again.
The Han brothers each raised their weapons to block the attack. Two more loud noises were heard. The eldest Han Chong shouted loudly and pulled back his copper rod, blood spurting out of his mouth. The second brother Han Meng raised his halberd and staggered backward. His clothes were torn, revealing a wound about an inch long that was dripping with blood. This was still Jing Ke showing mercy. Otherwise, these few quick sword moves would have been enough to kill the two of them.
"I didn't know that you were a sword master," Tang Jian's expression changed slightly. I have no talent in the Tang Dynasty. Please let me teach you.”Jing Ke didn't want to be his enemy, so he used his swift and fierce sword to make him retreat. At this moment, he had no choice but to say,""What if Doctor Tang loses?”
Tang Jian's expression turned cold." If I lose, I won't make things difficult for you. How about it?"”
Jing Ke immediately said,"Alright." A gentleman's word is a promise!"
This was undoubtedly the best solution.
Tang Jian raised his sword in front of his chest with both hands. His eyes shone brightly as he looked at Jing Ke, who was twenty feet away.
Jing Ke crossed his sword across his chest. His mind entered the state of emptiness and tranquility. He could clearly see every movement of Tang Jian. Even the trembling of his eyelashes could be clearly seen.
The oppressive confrontation only lasted for a moment before Tang Jian made his move. The long sword in his hand suddenly bounced up into the air. The tip of the sword flashed with cold stars as it pointed at Jing Ke's face.
Jing Ke let out a long roar. The long sword in front of his chest flew up and down, reflecting cold electricity. It clashed with Tang Jian's sword, producing a series of metal clanging sounds. The distance between the sounds was not much different.
Qin Wuyang, Wei Zhuang, and the others who were watching the battle from the side looked at each other in dismay. Before this, they hadn't taken this unknown Tang Jian seriously. Now, they knew that this person was actually a first-rate sword expert who had hidden his strength.
The two of them bounced away.
Tang Jian raised the sword in his hand above his head and said in a deep voice,"Do you know that you are the first person to receive my Forty-Eight Jade Shattering Strikes?”
Jing Ke knew that what he said was true. In fact, if he had not used his full strength to execute the Eighteen Shocking Swords, he would not have been able to withstand Tang Jian's storm-like attacks.
" Hahaha!" Tang Jian suddenly laughed out loud." If you can take on my second round of quick attacks, then we don't have to fight anymore. I'll immediately throw away my sword and admit defeat."”
Jing Ke's expression was solemn. He knew that since the other party had said so, he must be very confident.
Sure enough, Tang Jian took two steps forward and raised the sword above his head. A long lightning flashed in the air, and then silver light like jade scattered down.
Jing Ke let out a long roar. His long sword drew a beautiful arc. The sword Qi surged like a raging wave and swept towards Tang Jian.
Murderous intent filled the air.
The two men shouted in unison, and then separated. At this moment, the dull sound of metal clashing could be heard.
Tang Jian's face was pale, and blood seeped out of his seven holes. He looked as miserable as a ghost. He used his long sword to support his body. Jing Ke's face was also pale. Blood flowed from his shoulder and slowly dripped down his wrist.
The two tigers fought and both sides suffered.
Tang Jian seemed to want to smile, but he could only pull the corners of his mouth and say bitterly,"In the end, Lord Emissary still managed to receive this Tang's 'Nineteen Swords of Broken Jade'.”
Jing Ke smiled faintly. Although his shoulder was injured, it was fortunate that his bones and muscles were not injured.
Tang Jian suddenly turned around and said to Fei Lian," I failed in the sword competition. I will keep my promise. You can't go against it."”Fei Lian and the other 'long-spear warriors' suddenly kneeled down and said in unison,""Yes, sir."
Jing Ke was greatly puzzled. Just as he was about to open his mouth to ask, he saw Tang Jian's expression was solemn. The sword light in his hand flashed and stabbed straight into his chest.
"Doctor!"
Jing Ke was shocked. He threw the long sword in his hand and knocked down Tang Jian's sword. The long sword had already cut a long and thin wound on Tang Jian's abdomen, and blood was seeping out from his clothes. Jing Ke rushed forward and supported Tang Jian's body, saying,""Doctor, why is this?"
Tang Jian's pale face revealed a bitter smile. He let out a long breath and struggled to say,"Lord Envoy, why do you have to save me? I can't stop the envoy from entering the Qin Kingdom, but I don't want to see the Qin Kingdom's power increase and annex the Yan and Chu countries. I can only die to be free.”
Jing Ke knew that Tang Jian didn't understand his intentions, so he didn't hesitate to risk his life to persuade him. Due to the situation, Jing Ke leaned over helplessly and whispered,""Jing Ke was ordered to assassinate the King of Qin to resolve the crisis of the Yan Country and to eliminate the tyrant for the world.”
Tang Jian's body trembled. After a long time, he finally said," Okay." Fei Lian and Tang Jian's followers swarmed to Tang Jian's side, all of them weeping. Fei Lian quickly tore off a piece of his clothes and carefully bandaged Tang Jian's wound before helping him sit down.
Seeing that Tang Jian was seriously injured, Jing Ke and the others did not stop him and cupped their fists to bid farewell. Tang Jian smiled at Jing Ke. The meaning of this smile was encouragement, blessing, and a sense of appreciation in his eyes…
Jing Ke got on the carriage, and his entourage flew onto their horses and galloped towards Xianyang. A torrential rain suddenly fell from the sky. The convoy sped for a moment, passing through a forest, and a small town appeared in front of them. Jing Ke saw that the rain did not decrease at all, so he suggested that they go to the small town to rest. Everyone felt extremely tired, so they all agreed.
Wei Zhuang suddenly said," I suddenly feel a little uncomfortable in my stomach. I'll go relieve myself first. You guys wait for me in the small town ahead. I'll be there in a moment."”Before Jing Ke and the rest could react, Wei Zhuang had already turned his horse around and ran into the forest, disappearing into the heavy rain.
Thus, everyone rode their horses to the small town and found a tea shop to sit down and rest. After the time it took to make a cup of tea, the rain had gradually weakened, but Wei Zhuang still did not appear. Jing Ke could not wait any longer, so he mounted his horse and ran into the woods to search.
When they arrived at the forest, Jing Ke called out,"Brother Wei…Brother Wei…" But Wei Zhuang was nowhere to be seen. Jing Ke was really anxious, he immediately jumped off his horse to search carefully. After circling around, he still couldn't find any traces.
While he was worried, Jing Ke suddenly heard a faint sound coming from the grass behind a big tree not far ahead. He quickly went forward to check and saw a person lying beside the tree roots with a bloody mess. Jing Ke quickly squatted down and checked. It was Fei Lian, who was beside Tang Jian. When he checked Tang Jian's breathing, he found that he was already on the verge of death.
Jing Ke carefully examined the Feilian's body and found a wound on its chest. The wound was thin and deep. At this moment, Qin Wuyang also came into the forest. Seeing Jing Ke's back from afar, he asked,"" Brother Jing, we found Mr. Wei…" Qin Wuyang walked in and saw a man lying on the ground."Did something happen to Mr. Wei?"
Jing Ke frowned,"It's Mr. Tang Jian's Feilian." I searched the surroundings but did not find Mr. Wei.”
"Ah! How could this be? Could something have happened?”Qin Wuyang couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Feilian, who was in a coma, seemed to have sensed someone coming. He opened his eyes slightly and glanced at Jing Ke. Suddenly, he used his last bit of strength and said excitedly," Quick…go and save…Lord Tang…there's…a…masked…person…attacking…" Halfway through his words, his head tilted and his body went limp.
Seeing this, Jing Ke quickly injected his internal energy into the Feilian. However, Qin Wuyang checked the Feilian's breathing and shook his head."He's already dead."
Jing Ke was a little sad, but he was even more surprised. He gently put down the Feilian and immediately rode through the forest with Qin Wuyang. Along the way, they could only feel a deathly silence in the forest. The final scene that they saw shocked them.
Dozens of corpses were scattered all over the place, dying outside the forest. Jing Ke had only taken a few steps forward when he saw the scene he least wanted to see.
It was hard to believe that the person he had just fought and talked with had turned into a cold corpse in the blink of an eye.
Tang Jian's eyes were wide open in anger, unable to close his eyes. Jing Ke stretched out his hand and caressed Tang Jian's eyes, letting him rest in peace. At that moment, there was a strange feeling in his heart, rolling and galloping.
Who was so ambitious?
Jing Ke examined the wounds on the ground one by one and found that the fatal spots were the same as the Feilian. They were stabbed in the chest and died. The wounds were thin and deep.
The two of them hastily buried the bodies of Tang Jian and the others and rode back to the tea shop in the town. Everyone was already waiting anxiously. When Wei Zhuang saw the two of them return, his face was filled with shame. He hurriedly rushed forward and said,"I'm really sorry. I went to the back of the forest to relieve myself. I couldn't figure out the way for a moment, so I had to trouble the two of you to find me.”Jing Ke briefly explained what had happened. His expression was filled with sorrow and he could not control himself for a long time. After just a short interaction, he had already respected Tang Jian very much. Tang Jian was not only a rare true man, but also a person with great ambitions and loyalty. Now that he had died in the hands of a traitor for no reason, how could he not be sad?
After everyone heard this, they fell silent. After a while, Jing Ke said calmly,""Let's hurry up and continue our journey!”As he spoke, he jumped onto the carriage. Everyone also left the tea shop and mounted their horses, preparing to set off.
A seven-colored rainbow appeared in the sky after the rain. The dazzling colorful light attracted everyone's attention. Jing Ke, who was in the carriage, could not help but look up at the sky. Suddenly, he felt that the dazzling rainbow was like the eyes of the sky. It was a pair of eyes that seemed to be weeping, but also a pair of eyes that seemed to be dripping blood. It was even more like his heart that was faintly throbbing in pain.
The wound was exactly the same, so small and deep.
The murderer was coming for him! They had tracked him all the way from Yan Country to here and tried every means to stop him from completing the mission.
Even the heavens knew that he shouldered a great mission and heavy responsibility, which was why he was lucky enough to survive until now? But why did they have to sacrifice so many innocent lives?
Blood continued to flow. At this moment, the God of Heaven, who was invisible in the alternate dimension, looked like a bloodthirsty demon.
Success? Chengren? Everything depends on man.
Suddenly, Jing Ke's heart was as still as water, replacing the heart-wrenching pain he should have.
The blood of those who had sacrificed themselves formed a path, closing the distance to the finish line.
The distance to the finish line was difficult to calculate, but the color of the finish line was always blood-red.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]