Zhang Lie, Chen Jingchou, and Yu Xiaoxue carefully leaned on the beam and looked at Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty. They saw that he was nearly fifty years old. A long beard under his chin had already turned white. His expression was withered and his eyes were lifeless. He stood up and leaned against the beam, thinking that he had drunk too much. She was drinking and chatting with a beautifully dressed woman beside her. This woman must be Empress Xiao. Zhang Lie looked for the palace maid he had just seen in the crowd and saw her standing by the side of the steps. Zhang Lie had an ominous feeling in his heart.
Emperor Yang was already half-drunk. His right hand held the wine cup shakily and raised it up. He smiled at the Empress and said," As soon as she finished speaking, the palace maid lowered her head and walked up a few steps. She knelt on the ground and raised the plate above her head."Your Majesty, this servant would like to add some new wine for you!”Zhang Lie was shocked when he heard the voice. Emperor Yang was stunned. He hung the wine cup in the air and looked at the group of palace maids."Eh? Did…did I give any instructions?" The maid replied,"Your Majesty has been feasting for a long time, and the wine and food are cold. I've come to add some new wine to liven things up!"”
Emperor Yang heard this and smiled,"I see…You're so thoughtful!" Good, the wine and dishes are cold, and it hurts my elegant mood. Quickly fill up the wine for me!”The palace maid agreed. She held the plate and was about to stand up. Suddenly, Emperor Yang's wine cup fell to the ground with a bang. His hand was still hanging in the air, and his eyes were wide open. The palace maids did not know what had happened and hurriedly knelt down to apologize. The drumming stopped immediately, and the whole hall knelt down. The palace maid was about to step forward. Emperor Yang suddenly came to his senses and pointed at the palace maid with his right hand."Wait a minute! "Don't move. Slowly raise your head…Let me take a closer look…" Zhang Lie and the other two's hearts were in their throats.
Emperor Yang suddenly slammed the table, spilling wine all over the floor.""Damn it! How could I not know that there was such a peerless beauty among the servants?”He turned to the Empress and said,"Imperial wife, look! -- This child is really a beauty, isn't she?”Empress Xiao scrutinized Tuoba Yu 'er for a moment before saying,""You are indeed a beauty. I wish Your Majesty great fortune!”
Emperor Yang was overjoyed." Play the music, quickly play the music. What are you all standing there for?"”The drums sounded, and the hall began to sing and dance again. "Come, come, tell me, what is your name?"”
"This servant's surname is Yuan…" The palace maid replied.
"So it's Beauty Yuan!" Emperor Yang said happily. Quickly come over and let Zhen carefully study…"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The palace maid said. He stood up, took the plate, and walked to the stage. Emperor Yang was drunk, his right hand twirling his beard as his eyes lewdly sized up the palace maid. The palace maid walked in front of Emperor Yang and suddenly threw the plate. With a bang, the wine pot fell to the ground and shattered into pieces. The wine splashed everywhere. Emperor Yang did not know what had happened. The palace maid had a shiny dagger in her hand. She stepped forward and shouted,"Yang Guang, you old thief! Today, I'm going to kill you, you stupid dog! Avenge my parents!"
Emperor Yang was shocked and leaned back on the dragon throne. He was so scared that he was almost sober. He wanted to leave, but his legs were numb and he could not move. He said in a trembling voice,"You! Who are you? Assassin! Help…Help!" The entire hall was in a mess. The female servants ran out, trampling on each other and crying. Tuoba Yu 'er stood in front of Emperor Yang and pointed her dagger at his chest. She shouted,""Stupid ruler! Do you know how long I've been preparing for this day?”
Emperor Yang's face was pale and his body trembled. He said in a sad voice,"" Help, help me…Don't kill me…I'll give you as much gold and silver as you want…Please don't kill me…" Tuoba Yu 'er said,""Humph! Who wants your bloody money! Have you ever thought that you would have this day? Hand over your life!”He extended his right hand and stabbed the dagger at Emperor Yang. Just as Emperor Yang's chest was about to have two more holes, a green shadow suddenly flashed and attacked from the side. Before Tuoba Yu 'er could see what was going on, she felt her body become lighter. She and her dagger were sent flying. With a bang, she fell heavily onto the stage. Her entire body was in pain, and her bones seemed to be about to fall apart.
Tuoba Yu 'er was lying on the ground, clutching her chest. She raised her head and saw that there was another person on the stage. He was wearing a brown robe and gritted his teeth." You, who are you?..." The man stood with his hands behind his back, facing Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, and said coldly,""Great Sui-Grand Tutor Yuwen!" He was full of energy. Tuoba Yu 'er's heart skipped a beat. Grand Tutor Yuwen slowly turned around. He was a young man in his thirties. He was handsome and had a stern expression. There was a heavenly eye between his eyebrows, which made him look even more heroic. Emperor Yang wiped the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve and said,""Minister Yuwen! Quick, quickly capture this detestable girl for me!”Yuwen Tuo nodded slightly but did not make a move.
"Damn it!" Tuoba Yu 'er said. Since you're also a lackey of the Sui Family, then I'll deal with you too!”He picked up the dagger, struggled to get up, and staggered forward. Yuwen Tuo closed his eyes and said,"Let me tell you, with your current strength, you can't even defeat a finger of mine!"”Tuoba Yu 'er gritted her teeth.”He did not stop.
Yuwen Tuo slowly shook his head and sighed,""Since you are so stubborn and have the courage to assassinate the dragon boat, you must have been determined to die…I'm sorry, I've offended you!”He raised his right hand, bringing with it a gust of cold wind as he slapped towards Tuoba Yu 'er. Halfway through the palm strike, a palm suddenly came slapping down from above. The two palms met, and with a bang, the person flew out. He somersaulted a few times in the air and almost fell when he landed. Yuwen Tuo didn't move. He looked surprised and didn't continue to chase.
At this moment, hundreds of voices were heard outside the hall."Not good! Not good! His Majesty…is in the water…is in the water!”A thick smoke surged into the hall. The hall was already in a mess, and it was even more chaotic now. Everyone was panicking, and their surroundings were covered in a gray mist. They were so smoky that they could barely open their eyes.
Chen Jingchou's right palm was in extreme pain. If it wasn't for Yuwen Tuo's mercy, he wouldn't have been able to survive. At that time, he didn't have time to think about it and hurriedly ran to Tuoba Yu 'er's side. He reached out and supported her, saying,""Hurry up! Lady Tuoba, let's go!" Tuoba Yu 'er turned around and exclaimed,"" You... you are the Sui person from before..." Chen Jingchou said,""Don't say anymore! Hurry up and leave! It's too late!" He grabbed Tuoba Yu 'er and dragged her out forcefully.
"Assassin! The assassin has escaped!" Emperor Yang exclaimed. -- You, what are you still doing here? Hurry up and chase!" The guards were about to turn around and chase after him when Yuwen Tuo shouted,""You guys go put out the fire, I'll capture the assassin and protect the emperor!”The group of guards quickly left.
Meanwhile, Chen Jingchou and Tuoba Yu 'er had escaped from the main hall and rushed to the bow of the ship. Yu Xiaoxue was already waiting there. The three of them gathered. Tuoba Yu 'er asked,"You…Why are you here?"”"We came with Big Brother Zhang." Big Brother Zhang also got on the dragon boat to save you!”"Ah!" Tuoba Yu 'er said. "Brother-in-law is also here…" Chen Jingchou said,"I'm here."Big Brother Zhang lit a fire on the dragon boat to lure the soldiers away so that I could wait for an opportunity to save you! Let's go!" As soon as he finished speaking, a group of soldiers suddenly appeared from the corner and shouted,"The assassin is there! Don't let them escape!" Waving his steel knife, he pounced over like a tidal wave. Chen Jingchou saw that the situation was critical and hurriedly said,""Lady Tuoba! Let's not talk anymore and leave this place quickly!”He supported Tuoba Yu 'er and ran forward for a few feet. He had already reached the dragon head at the front of the dragon boat. There was river water on three sides. The pursuers behind him were approaching and there was no way out.
The shouts of the soldiers were getting closer and closer. Chen Jingchou looked to the shore and said,""Miss Tuoba, you and Xiaoxue jump into the river first! He swam ashore again! I'll cover the rear!" "What?" Tuoba Yu 'er asked in shock. You want to jump into the water?" "Yes!" Chen Jingchou replied. Tuoba Yu 'er turned her head and said,"If you want to jump, jump yourself!" I don't want to jump!" "What's wrong?" Chen Jingchou asked curiously. Are you going to go back and continue to assassinate the emperor?”Tuoba Yu 'er frowned." No, I won't jump…I won't jump into the water even if you beat me to death!"”At this moment, the pursuers arrived in the blink of an eye.
Chen Jingchou was helpless. He turned his head and said,"Little Xue!" It's too late, you go first! I'll persuade Miss Tuoba!”Yu Xiaoxue hesitated for a moment and said,"Then, please be careful, Brother Chen!"”He jumped into the river and swam to the shore elegantly.
"Lady Tuoba, stop fooling around!" Chen Jingchou said. Hurry up and leave!" Tuoba Yu 'er said,"You can dance by yourself!" I…I'm not jumping!" Chen Jingchou was sweating profusely as he anxiously said,"You!" Why are you still throwing a tantrum at me at this time!”"I…I don't know how to swim!" Tuoba Yu 'er said.”"It's alright!" Chen Jingchou heaved a sigh of relief. I'll pull you ashore! Stop fooling around and hurry up!" Tuoba Yu 'er looked at the river and turned her head away."" I-I won't jump…" Before she could finish her sentence, she heard a loud sound behind her. Tuoba Yu 'er turned around and saw that an arrow had pierced Chen Jingchou's right arm. Blood flowed out and her sleeve was red.
Seeing that the assassin had been shot, the soldiers shouted and rushed to the bow of the ship. "I'm…I'm sorry…but…" Tuoba Yu 'er panicked."Hurry up and leave! I'll block them!" He drew his sword with his left hand and charged forward, cutting down the few soldiers who had rushed forward. Tuoba Yu 'er could only make up her mind when she saw this. She pouted and said,"Good! I'll just jump…Damn it!" He closed his eyes and jumped into the river. The soldiers could not attack, so they drew their bows and arrows rained down like locusts. Chen Jingchou waved his sword and jumped back into the river.
On the dragon boat, everyone was in a mess. They set up water dragons and drew water from the river. They were busy for several hours before they finally put out the fire. The pillars of the Dragon Boat Hall had also been blackened by the smoke. The palace maids quickly cleaned up the debris on the ground. Yuwen Tuo stood beside him. Not long after, a few guards walked in and replied that the assassin had already escaped. Emperor Yang was unhappy and immediately ordered people to search for him. "Your Majesty!" Yuwen Tuo stepped forward and reported. "Those assassins just now…" Emperor Yang said,"I'm afraid they'll be killed."Humph! Why didn't you capture the assassin just now? Why did you let her accomplices go and save her?”" Your Majesty…" Yuwen Tuo said." There seems to be an expert helping the assassin this time. That female assassin's accomplice actually used the Hauntless Valley's technique!"”"So, you let them escape?" Emperor Yang asked.”Yuwen Tuo said," I don't dare. I'm afraid that this is a plan to destroy Tiger Leaving Mountain, so I don't dare to act rashly."”
At this moment, a clear voice came from the front of the hall,""Uncle! Uncle! Are you alright? I'm so worried!" Everyone looked over and saw a young girl walking into the hall. She had an oval face, full moon eyebrows, and a small red mole between her eyebrows. Her skin was fair and smooth, and her appearance was pleasant. "Oh, it's my little Ning Ke!" Emperor Yang said happily. I am the emperor, how can anything happen to me?”Dugu Ningke ran to Emperor Yang's side and wiped her tears.""Uncle, I heard that an assassin wants to kill you!……”Emperor Yang held her hand and said," Good girl…Don't cry, don't cry. Uncle is really happy that you care so much about him!" Uncle has already sent people to capture that despicable assassin. There will be good news back soon! You don't have to worry!" "But, I heard that the assassin is very powerful. I'm afraid she'll come back!" Dugu Ningke said. "Besides, how could those ordinary guards catch an assassin…" Emperor Yang nodded and said,"I don't think so."You're right, you're right! Little Ning Ke is still the smartest!" He turned his head and said,"Minister Yuwen!"--”Yuwen Tuo quickly stepped forward and said,"I'm here!"”Emperor Yang said," You heard it too. The assassin this time is very powerful. I will hand over the heavy responsibility of capturing the assassin to you!"”"Your Majesty!" Yuwen Tuo said. With the guards, he bowed and left.
"Alright!" Emperor Yang said. Are you relieved now? Uncle has ordered the most powerful people in the world to catch the assassin for you!”Dugu Ningke's beautiful eyes turned, and she smiled.""But uncle…I want to go with you.”When Emperor Yang heard this, he was stunned and said,"Wh-what?"”" Uncle…" Dugu Ningke said." I want to follow Lord Yuwen to catch the bad guys!"”Emperor Yang let go of Dugu Ningke's hands and turned around.""Nonsense! No, no! This is too dangerous…" Dugu Ningke's face was full of grievance, and tears were rolling in her eyes."I, I just want to see how Lord Yuwen will catch the bad guys!”Emperor Yang was unhappy and said,"Don't mess around!" " You stay on the dragon boat, I won't allow you to…" Dugu Ningke's nose turned sour, and she burst into tears in front of everyone. She wiped her tears with her hands and said,""Why are you so fierce? "Uncle is so bad…" Emperor Yang didn't know what to do.
Empress Xiao hurriedly advised: Your Majesty…You're too much…Why did you make the cute Princess Ning Ke cry?”Emperor Yang turned around helplessly and said,""Alright, alright, stop crying! " I allow you to go, and I promise you…" Dugu Ningke's face was full of tears as he said,""Really?" "Guards!" Emperor Yang said. Call the Grand Preceptor back!" Not long after, Yuwen Tuo returned to the hall. He did not know what had happened, but he went forward and bowed."Your Majesty, is there anything else?”"Actually, it's nothing much. My niece wants to go with you to catch the assassin." I order you to be responsible for protecting her safety along the way. No mistakes are allowed! Do you know?" "Your Majesty!" Yuwen Tuo was shocked. "This..." Emperor Yang said,"Don't say it! "Just do as you're told, just do as you're told…" Yuwen Tuo said,"" But, Your Majesty, capturing the assassin is not…" Emperor Yang's face darkened,""Don't forget…If it wasn't for my precious niece telling me about your secret possession of the divine cauldron, even I would have let you hide it from me…I still haven't settled the score with you! -- If you can make little Ning Ke happy this time, I won't argue with you! Do you understand?" Yuwen Tuo had no choice but to bow and leave.
Chen Jingchou opened his eyes in a daze. He was already lying in a dilapidated house surrounded by broken walls and tiles. Beside him, a fair and tender face was staring at him. She called out,"Brother Chen, Brother Chen! You're finally awake!" Chen Jingchou struggled to sit up and saw that the person beside him was Yu Xiaoxue. "Brother Chou, you're finally awake!" Zhang Lie walked over and said.”
Chen Jingchou felt dizzy and said,""Where…where is this?" "Rest in peace and recuperate!" Zhang Lie said. Although this place was not far from the canal, it was in a remote location. He believed that the soldiers would not find this place for the time being.”Chen Jingchou turned to look at Tuoba Yu 'er and saw her lying on the ground, still unconscious. He asked,""Is Lady Tuoba alright?" "It's nothing serious. She just drank a few mouthfuls of water."”Not long after, Tuoba Yu 'er woke up as well. She propped herself up with both hands and sat up slowly with a gloomy expression.
Zhang Lie turned around with his hands behind his back and said," Yu 'er, you're awake…" Tuoba Yu' er whispered,""Brother-in-law, why are you here?" Zhang Lie was angry." Look at what you've done to everyone!" he said. To assassinate the Emperor…something that even your brother-in-law wouldn't dare to do! You are very brave!"
Tuoba Yu 'er stared at the corner of her clothes and did not dare to raise her head. She said,"I'm sorry…"
"This time, brother-in-law will take you back to the north no matter what excuse you have!"”
"Yes…Brother-in-law…" Tuoba Yu 'er lowered her head.
"Brother Chou!" Zhang Lie said. This time, you have saved my wife's sister's life. I really don't know how to thank you!”
"Big Brother Zhang, you're too polite!" Chen Jingchou said.”
"Miss Xiao Xue has already treated your arrow sore, so you don't have to worry."”
"Thank you, Little Xue," Chen Jingchou hurriedly said.”
Yu Xiaoxue said," It's nothing. After you dragged Sister Tuoba ashore, you were unconscious. I, I should do this."”
Everyone rested for a while before Zhang Lie said,"Brother Chou! Miss Xiaoxue! Thanks to your life-risking help, this troublesome girl was finally saved! -- However, we can't stay here for long. What are your plans?”
"I want to find the divine cauldron that was taken away by the bandits," Chen Jingchou said. This was the only hope to save his master!”
"Yes!" Zhang Lie muttered. I'll leave the matter of the divine cauldron to you. I've left the tribe for a long time. If I don't return now, it'll be bad if something happens!”
" Don't worry, Big Brother Zhang," Chen Jingchou said." Once we find the divine cauldron and refine the medicine, we'll definitely send it to the north and return it to the Tuoba tribe!"”
"Alright, Yu 'Er, let's go back!" Zhang Lie nodded. Your sister is very worried about you!" However, Tuoba Yu 'er frowned and did not move. She suddenly said,""Wait a minute! Brother-in-law, this won't do!"
"What's wrong?" Zhang Lie asked in surprise. "Brother-in-law!" Tuoba Yu 'er said. No! I can't go back with you!"
"Yu 'Er, what's wrong with you again?" Zhang Lie asked. He had just agreed to go back, why did he suddenly change his mind?”
Tuoba Yu 'er said,"The Divine Cauldron is our tribe's divine artifact. What if they find it and don't return it?" I'm worried. I have to follow him!”"Brother Qiu and brother-in-law are absolutely trustworthy!" You don't have to worry! Let's go!" Tuoba Yu 'er turned her head and said," Unless I find the Divine Cauldron myself, I'll keep looking for it even if I'm alone!" "Brother-in-law, I don't want to go back…" Zhang Lie's face darkened." You!..."
"Big Brother Zhang, Big Brother Zhang!" Chen Jingchou advised. -- "Since Miss Tuoba doesn't trust us, you might as well let her go with me and Xiaoxue to find the Divine Cauldron until she brings it back personally…" Zhang Lie sighed."Brother Chou…it's not that I don't trust you! But this girl was the most troublesome person in the world! I'm afraid that she will cause you unnecessary trouble along the way!”
" Don't worry, Big Brother Zhang," Chen Jingchou said." I will definitely take good care of Miss Tuoba and ensure her safety!"”Zhang Lie muttered,"This…This is…" He looked at Tuoba Yu 'er and saw that she was sitting on the ground with her mouth curled up in anger.
Zhang Lie thought to himself,"If I force her to go back with me, with this girl's temper, I can't guarantee that she'll secretly run away on the way back. That would be even more troublesome!" Brother Qiu's martial arts skills are strong. It's better to let her train with him. She can also learn from Brother Qiu and Miss Xiaoxue. Perhaps she can change her stubborn temper!”After hesitating for a moment, he said,"Yes!" Brother Chou, I'll have to trouble you to take care of her!”She turned around and said,"Yu 'Er!" Brother-in-law promised not to bring you back for the time being! But you are not allowed to be willful and throw tantrums along the way, and you are not allowed to cause any trouble for others, understand?”
"Brother-in-law, you're too much!" Tuoba Yu 'er said. -- Who exactly is causing trouble for who?!" Zhang Lie ignored her and turned around. Then I'll have to trouble you-take care of this troublesome girl on behalf of this foolish brother and teach her more!”
"Big Brother Zhang, what are you talking about?!" Chen Jingchou said. Don't worry, I'll do my best!”
"Brother-in-law!" Tuoba Yu 'er said. What nonsense are you spouting again?"
"Brother Chou!" Zhang Lie said. Then we'll part ways here. See you again!”He cupped his hands. "Take care, Big Brother Zhang!" Chen Jingchou cupped his hands and said.”"Goodbye, Big Brother Zhang!" Yu Xiaoxue also said.”Zhang Liedao turned around and strode out of the door.
Only Chen Jingchou, Yu Xiaoxue, and Tuoba Yu 'er were left in the room. Chen Jingchou walked in front of Tuoba Yu 'er, lowered his body, and asked,""Miss Tuoba, are you feeling better?”Tuoba Yu 'er closed her eyes and snorted. She did not reply. After a while, Chen Jingchou asked again,"If you're not feeling well, we'll wait for you to get better before setting off."”Tuoba Yu 'er crossed her arms in front of her chest and remained silent.
Yu Xiaoxue pulled Chen Jingchou aside and said,"Brother Chen, what should we do? Sister Tuoba is ignoring us!" "I-I can't do anything to her!" Chen Jingchou scratched his head.”
"What should we do?" Yu Xiaoxue asked.”
"It doesn't matter…anyway, it was like this in the past. We'll slowly get used to it in the future!" Chen Jingchou said.”The two of them discussed in low voices. Tuoba Yu 'er couldn't help but say,"Hey! What are you guys talking about!"
Yu Xiaoxue smiled and said,"That's great!" Sister Tuoba is finally talking to us!”"That's right, this is really something extraordinary…" Tuoba Yu 'er frowned and turned her head away."Boring!"
The few of them rested for a while. After all, the small dilapidated house was not a safe place to stay. The soldiers could search it at any time. Chen Jingchou and Yu Xiaoxue called Tuoba Yu 'er and walked out of the house together. Tuoba Yu 'er, who was following behind, suddenly said softly,""Thank you!" Chen Jingchou and Yu Xiaoxue quickly turned around, and Tuoba Yu 'er pouted again. "Brother Chen, Sister Tuoba is thanking us!" Yu Xiaoxue said happily.”Chen Jingchou was about to reply. "Hey!" Tuoba Yu 'er said first. Don't talk nonsense, I didn't!"
Soon, they arrived at the river. It was already dusk. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the vast river surface, and the waves flickered as if thousands of golden snakes were dancing. A few wisps of clouds scattered in the sky, like fiery red cotton. The two rows of weeping willows stretched along the river bank, extending far north and south. There was no end to it. Thousands of willow branches gently stirred the river water with the breeze, creating ripples.
The three of them walked along the river bank for a while, then left the river bank and headed northeast. That night, they rested in the forest. The fields on both sides of the canal were barren and empty. Even the wild vegetables and bark had long been dug up and eaten. Chen Jingchou wanted to find something to eat, but it wasn't easy. After crossing the mountain, the sky was already dark. He pushed aside the long grass in the valley and found a small stream. Chen Jingchou walked into the stream and struggled for a long time before catching a few small fish. He turned around and went back. Yu Xiaoxue had already started a bonfire. Chen Jingchou grilled the fish and handed one to Tuoba Yu 'er. Tuoba Yu 'er turned around and ignored him. Chen Jingchou had no choice but to eat with Yu Xiaoxue. In the next few days, it would still be the same. It would be good if he could find some small bug fish. Tuoba Yu 'er was starving. She didn't want to eat at first, but in the end, she couldn't ignore the food that Chen Jingchou sent over.
After seven or eight days, they arrived at the east of the mountain, where the population gradually increased. This evening, the three of them had been on the road for an entire day. These days, they had not eaten until they were full. They were exhausted and their stomachs were indescribably uncomfortable. As he was walking on the road, he suddenly saw a few wisps of smoke rising from the treetops in the forest ahead. "There seems to be a family up ahead. Let's stay there tonight!" Chen Jingchou said. Have a good rest!" The few of them did not know where they got their strength from, but they spread their legs and rushed forward. After passing through the forest, they arrived in front of a small village. There were ruins all over the ground, broken tiles everywhere, and houses were sparse and empty. Most of the villagers had already fled.
Chen Jingchou arrived at the front door of a farmer's house. The courtyard wall had collapsed, and the ground was covered in soil. He walked straight into the courtyard and knocked on the door. Not long after, footsteps sounded. The wooden door creaked open and an old voice asked,"Who is it?"
"A guest passing by wishes to stay at your place. Please do me a favor, uncle."”The door opened and an old farmer walked out. He looked at Chen Jingchou and the others for a moment and said,"It's so chaotic now. It's hard for you children to go out on your own. Come in quickly.”Chen Jingchou waved to the outside, and Yu Xiaoxue and Tuoba Yu 'er followed him in.
The house was dilapidated, the thatched roof had fallen off, and several holes were missing. Looking up, one could see the blue sky. There were only a few broken wooden tables in the hall and an old, blackened straw mat. The old man asked the three of them to sit down. "Father of the child, who's here?" an old woman asked.”"They're just a few kids who're staying over," the old man said.”Chen Jingchou waited for a while.
The old man took out a few bowls of gruel from the bottom of the stove and a few wood chaff cakes. He placed them on the wooden table and said,"In this day and age, there are natural and man-made disasters. There's not much food at home, so there's only this left.”"Thank you, Uncle!" Chen Jingchou said. The three of them ate together. Although it was porridge and chaff cake, it tasted like jade nectar, dragon liver, and phoenix marrow. The farmhouse was very narrow, so the old man placed Chen Jingchou and the others in a small room on the east side. Chen Jingchou carried the grass and spread it on the ground. After Xiaoxue and Tuoba Yu 'er fell asleep, he leaned against the corner of the wall and fell asleep in a short while.
Stars twinkled, clouds floated, and a cool breeze blew. In the middle of the night, Chen Jingchou was sleeping soundly when the ground suddenly rumbled and trembled. Chen Jingchou immediately woke up. He got up and walked to the window. He listened carefully and heard the sound of horse hooves coming from outside the forest. It seemed that there were more than ten horses galloping toward the house. At this moment, Tuoba Yu 'er had also woken up. She jumped up and dashed to the window to look outside.
The sound of horse hooves became louder and louder. Soon, a fire flashed and more than ten fast horses came out of the forest towards the village. In a moment, they arrived at the door. Everyone dismounted one after another, and it was noisy. Chen Jingchou looked over with the help of the fire and was shocked. This group of people all had steel sabers at their waists. They were all soldiers. The captain at the front held a horsewhip in his hand and led everyone over. Two soldiers shouted and knocked on the door.
The old man walked shakily to the front of the house. With a creak, a group of soldiers rushed into the house. Chen Jingchou leaned his head against the wall and listened carefully. "Damn it!" one of the soldiers cursed. Where did all the people along the way go? He hadn't drunk for three days, and his mouth was almost full!”The voice was rough. "You old fart!" shouted another soldier. If you have any wine and meat, quickly take them out and show your filial piety to me, I'll spare your life!”
Chen Jingchou pressed down on the hilt of his sword, slightly angry. " I'm sorry." The old man's voice trembled." Generals…It's not that I don't respect you…It's just…It's just…"
Before he could finish, a soldier shouted,"What is it? You audacious people! How dare you deceive the government? I'll teach you a lesson! You still think I'm blind!" Suddenly, there was a loud bang and someone fell heavily to the ground, moaning in pain. It must be the old man.
The rough voice said,"Everyone, ignore him first. Don't delay the official business!" You two, search the kitchen! If they found food, hmph hmph! I'll teach him a lesson myself!" Footsteps sounded as a few soldiers went down to the stove.
After half a day, he returned and scolded,"This pauper, there's not even a grain of rice in the pot! After searching for a long time, there were only these few bran cakes left!”"Old thing, where did you hide the food?" One of the soldiers shouted. Hurry up and say it!" Following that, there was a loud clang, as if a steel knife had been pulled out.
The old man trembled and said,"Generals…please show mercy!" The harvest has been bad these few years, and there were bandits a few days ago…There's really no food…"
"Old man!" One of the soldiers said in a strange tone. There's no food or wine. Call your daughter out and play with us!”All the soldiers burst into laughter. The wooden table toppled over, and the bowls and plates fell, making cracking sounds. The soldier with the hoarse voice coughed, and his laughter stopped. He said,"Everyone, search the other houses and see if there's anything to eat. Once you're full, we'll hurry on! -- Don't mess up the princess's business, that's not a joke!”The soldiers agreed in unison and began searching separately.
At this time, Yu Xiaoxue had just woken up for a while and did not know what had happened. Chen Jingchou gestured for her to keep quiet. Suddenly, the door behind him opened with a bang, followed by a soldier's miserable scream. He was shocked and turned around to see that Tuoba Yu 'er was long gone. He secretly cried out in alarm and followed her out with his sword. Tuoba Yu 'er was already surrounded by a group of soldiers and they were fighting. More than a dozen sabers slashed at her body. It was extremely dangerous. Chen Jingchou shouted and leaped forward. His sword flashed and stabbed into the back of a soldier. The soldier grunted and struggled a few times before falling to the ground and dying. A soldier beside him hurriedly turned around and scolded,"Motherf * cker! This dog wants to rebel!" The saber slashed over. Chen Jingchou took half a step back and blocked the attack with his sword. The other soldiers followed suit. Chen Jingchou moved his sword horizontally and turned his body to avoid the attack. His sword swept forward in an arc. The soldier couldn't dodge in time, and with a ripping sound, his clothes were torn apart. A long gash was cut open on his abdomen, and blood gushed out. The soldier covered his stomach and died without a word.
At this time, Yu Xiaoxue also took out the iron ring and rushed out to fight with a few soldiers. With the help of the two of them, Tuoba Yu 'er was able to cut down a few soldiers. For a moment, blood splattered in the hall, and the ground was red. The soldiers were gradually losing. They exchanged glances with each other, spread their legs, and ran out of the door. Chen Jingchou leaped over the head of the soldier and landed in front of the door. He swung his sword and cut down another soldier. Tuoba Yu 'er and Yu Xiaoxue also chased after them. The three of them sandwiched the soldiers in the middle and attacked fiercely. In the blink of an eye, the remaining soldiers were dealt with.
Seeing that there were no survivors on the ground, the few of them heaved a sigh of relief. Just as they were about to speak, the sound of hooves suddenly sounded outside the door. Chen Jingchou secretly felt that something was wrong. He jumped out of the house and looked in the direction of the sound. In the hazy night, he saw a soldier riding on a horse, hurriedly waving his whip and galloping more than ten feet away. Chen Jingchou clenched his right palm and threw Yang Qi's iron sword forward. The sword flew like a meteor, and a sharp sound pierced through the night sky. The soldier immediately fell to the ground.
Chen Jingchou flew over. The soldier did not move. He lay face down on the ground and stretched out his hand. He was already dead. Chen Jingchou let out a long sigh of relief. He pulled out the iron sword from his back, wiped it clean, and sheathed it. He turned the soldier over and reached into his arms to search. Suddenly, his fingertips touched something soft. He took it out and saw that it was a cloth bag. Other than that, there was nothing else. Chen Jingchou stuffed the cloth bag into his pocket and walked back into the house.
The old man was too frightened to say a word. Yu Xiaoxue was healing him under the dim light. Tuoba Yu 'er sat alone at the side. Chen Jingchou called Tuoba Yu 'er over and carried the corpse to the back of the house with her. They buried it overnight and washed the blood off the ground. After half the night, it was almost dawn.
Chen Jingchou let Yu Xiaoxue and Tuoba Yu 'er rest for a while. He sat in the grass hall, took out a cloth bag, and opened it under the lamp. There were several ingots of silver and a roll of books and silk inside. The book was well sealed. Chen Jingchou was curious. He untied the string and opened it on the table. It turned out to be a secret letter. Secret order: A few days ago, the Grand Preceptor sent his subordinates to Mount Tai to set up a formation. When you receive this letter, you should immediately set off and monitor it closely. You must be careful. If there is any accident, you should report it to Princess Dugu as soon as possible. Chen Jingchou looked at it and was confused. He couldn't figure out why Grand Tutor Yuwen had sent people to Mount Tai. He took the letter and ignored it. At dawn, Chen Jingchou led three horses and killed the rest. He chopped them into pieces and worked for more than four hours before he was done. There was a mark of fire on the buttocks of the military horses. Leaving it behind would be a disaster sooner or later. He kept some for himself and gave the rest to the old man. He would marinate or wax it later. It was enough to eat for half a year. He also gave all the silver he found from the soldiers to the old man. The three of them each mounted a horse and headed east. The old man thanked him profusely and returned home with tears of gratitude.
With horses, they could travel much faster. The few of them followed the path that the cauldron had taken that day. In a few days, they arrived at the ground where the divine cauldron had been seized. The wheat fields beside the road were green, and farmers could be seen farming in the fields from time to time. It was no longer the desolate scene from before. Chen Jingchou asked the passers-by if there were any bandits nearby. The passer-by replied," I've never heard of bandits. In the Demon King's Stronghold in the east, there's a group of heroes who occupy the mountain and become kings! We won't offend the people at all!" "That's strange!" Chen Jingchou thought.”After pondering for a while, he thought to himself, There are no clues anyway. Let's go to the Devil King's stronghold and take a look first.”After asking for the way, the three of them took the road and left.
At noon the next day, they had already reached the foot of the mountain. There were a few families living in the mountain nest, and there was a small inn inside. On one side was the path up the mountain. The three of them led their horses away. Chen Jingchou went up to a middle-aged man and asked if there were any strong people on the mountain. "You mean the devil incarnate, right?" The king lived in the Demon King's Stronghold on the mountain. He was a well-known man. He often robbed the government of money and food to help the people. Even the soldiers were afraid of him!”Chen Jingchou thanked her, but he was puzzled. He stepped back and told Yu Xiaoxue and Tuoba Yu 'er what he said.
Tuoba Yu 'er heard this and said,"How despicable!" I guessed that it was the bandits on this mountain who stole our divine cauldron!”He turned around and waved his right hand.”
"Set off?" Chen Jingchou asked curiously. Where to?" Tuoba Yu 'er frowned,"You fool!"-- Of course, we should immediately find that Demon King and take back our divine cauldron!”
"You're really impatient!" Chen Jingchou laughed. We've traveled so far and are already hungry! -- They still had to fight the bandits later, and everyone was starving.”
Tuoba Yu 'er raised her eyebrows and said,"Hmph!" I'm not hungry…If you don't want to go, then I'll go up alone!”
"Sister Tuoba…don't, don't go!" Yu Xiaoxue advised. This is too dangerous!"
"Miss Tuoba, I promised Big Brother Zhang that I would protect you along the way!" Chen Jingchou added. That's why I can't let you take the risk alone!”
Tuoba Yu 'er raised her head and said,"Since you're not willing to let me go alone, then come with me!"”As he spoke, he strode up the mountain. Chen Jingchou hesitated.
Yu Xiaoxue quickly went forward and held Tuoba Yu 'er's hand, persuading her,""Sister Tuoba, I-I'm really hungry!”
Tuoba Yu 'er closed her eyes and said angrily,""Alright, alright! I can't stand you-then I'll wait until you're full!”
Chen Jingchou smiled." Don't worry. The Divine Cauldron is so heavy. It won't suddenly grow legs and run away!"-- Let's find a place to rest first!”
The three of them walked to the door of the inn, tied their horses, and sat in the hall. The waiter served tea. Chen Jingchou ordered some food. The waiter agreed and went to deliver it not long after. "Sister Yu 'er, it's time to eat!" Chen Jingchou said.”Tuoba Yu 'er sat alone at the side, resting with her eyes closed. She did not even look at the food, let alone answer.
Chen Jingchou had no choice but to eat with Yu Xiaoxue. After a few bites, he suddenly heard a burst of hearty laughter from outside the door. Chen Jingchou followed the voice and looked outside the door. He saw two people walking into the inn. The leader was a man dressed in martial arts attire. He was more than seven feet tall, had a thick waist and a thick back, and his muscles were well-defined. He had an iron beard on his face, and his eyes were like copper bells. The person behind him was dressed in a green robe and was dressed like a scholar. He had an imposing appearance and his eyebrows were flying. The giant man strode into the shop and said,""Bring me some good wine!" It was as if thunder had struck the shop, and the roof tiles trembled. The waiter did not dare to wait any longer. He hurriedly picked up the wine pot and took two large bowls. He respectfully led the two to sit down at the side and filled them with wine.
"Brother Chen!" Yu Xiaoxue whispered. Could they be…the bandits on the mountain?”
Chen Jingchou sized up the giant and said,""From his appearance, it's possible!”
Tuoba Yu 'er opened her eyes and said,""Hey! What kind of twisted logic is this? If a tall figure is a bandit, then my brother-in-law is so burly. Wouldn't he be an unpardonable villain?”
"Sister Yu 'er is right. We were in the wrong this time!" Chen Jingchou laughed.”Chen Jingchou and Yu Xiaoxue continued eating. Who knew that just as he moved his chopsticks, there was a sudden commotion outside the inn. Chen Jingchou put down his bowl and said,"It seems like something has happened outside!"”
Tuoba Yu 'er said,"How annoying. I'll go out and take a look!"”He picked up the Lancet and walked out of the door. Chen Jingchou was worried and followed him out.
Just as he reached the door of the shop, he saw a few people dressed like merchants kneeling in the open space in front of him. They kept kowtowing. Beside them were a few mule carts filled with goods. Several soldiers surrounded them in the middle, holding their waist knives and waving them back and forth in front of the merchants. A merchant cried out,"B-Grandpa…I'm really not a bandit!" We are just passing merchants!"
A soldier took half a step forward and pointed his saber at him. He shouted,"Shut up! You still want to deny it? Carrying so many things and walking under the Devil King's Bastion, if it wasn't a gang of bandits, then what could it be?”
The merchants were so frightened that they trembled all over."Sir, because…because the king of the Demon King Stronghold never plunders the passing merchants, everyone thinks that it's safer to go this way, so they took the bean pit at the foot of the mountain.”
"How dare you!" a soldier shouted. You actually put in a good word for the bandits! You still dare to say that you're not with them!" He waved the steel knife in his hand and shouted,"Tell me!" Where was that devil now?”The merchant was so scared that he almost fainted and could not say a word.
"Damn it!" Tuoba Yu 'er said angrily. These damned soldiers are bullying the people again!”Just as Chen Jingchou was about to stop her, Tuoba Yu 'er had already drawn her sword and walked forward. He walked to the back of the soldiers and shouted,"You trash, stop right now!"”The soldiers were stunned. They turned around and saw a beautiful girl standing in front of them. They couldn't help but be stunned. Then, they covered their stomachs and laughed out loud. Tuoba Yu 'er was furious. She suddenly leaped forward. A soldier screamed in pain as a wound several inches long appeared on his cheek. Blood was gushing out. The soldiers were shocked and stopped laughing. They shouted,"Rebel! How dare you! Quickly catch her!" The few of them raised their sabers and pounced forward. Chen Jingchou drew his sword and flew forward to block.
Chen Jingchou had just forced the soldiers to retreat when he suddenly heard a loud shout from behind him. It was like a bolt from the blue, and the sound shook the entire world. The birds and beasts on the mountain scattered in fear, and the echo reverberated for a long time. Yu Xiaoxue walked to the door and quickly covered her ears. All the soldiers hurriedly took a few steps back. Chen Jingchou turned around and saw the giant man he had seen in the inn. The middle-aged scholar was also standing to the side. The giant man walked up and praised," These little kids are quite bold. If I don't make a move, wouldn't I be inferior to them?"”
"How dare you!" a soldier shouted. Where did you come from? How dare you come to court death!" The giant man didn't reply. He looked up at the sky with a relaxed expression. When the soldiers saw the giant man's imposing manner, they became timid and did not dare to rush forward rashly. One of them shouted,"How dare you…You, who are you?”The giant man puffed out his chest and pulled open his clothes, revealing his bulging muscles. He glared and suddenly leaned forward. He stretched out his large hands, one in each hand, and grabbed the collars of two soldiers. He raised them above his head and threw them down the slope. "How dare you, mere soldiers, behave atrociously in the Devil King's Stronghold!" he shouted. To tell you the truth, I don't change my name. I don't change my name. I'm called the Demon King Cheng Yaojin!”
When the remaining soldiers heard this, they were so scared that they peed their pants. Their hands and feet were sore. They threw down their weapons and fled down the mountain.
Tuoba Yu 'er put away her sword and smiled.""What trash! It was useless at all. It only knew how to bully the good and fear the evil!”Cheng Yaojin laughed and did not chase after them. Instead, he walked towards Chen Jingchou and the other two.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。