Chapter 18

The internal strife happened so quickly that the archers on both banks, who were ready to fire, were momentarily at a loss as to how to respond. Many turned to look at Xiang Fei, who sat atop a large rock with a blank expression, his gaze sweeping over the people staggering on the boat and those flailing in the water, finally focusing on a woman being desperately protected by her guards.

"Brother, look..." a close confidant said anxiously.

"Look, this is the nature of the Jin people. The more critical the moment, the more they fight among themselves," Xiang Fei said, his arms crossed and a cold laugh escaping his lips. "Send two men to pull the boat over. The rest, be on high alert, but do not act rashly!"

With the advantage already on their side, the people on the boat had no chance of escape. Next, they just needed to capture the Lady of Jingling alive, ensuring that the delicate young lady did not suffer any harm.

This time, no guard attempted to cut the hooks that had latched onto the boat. Several large men exerted their strength and dragged the small boat to the shore, where it ran aground with a thud.

Xiang Fei's men, under the cover of the archers, approached the small boat. They stood in knee-deep water, surrounding the boat on three sides. On the opposite bank, over a dozen more men waded into the water and swam over.

There were fewer passengers on the boat than before. Two guards lay at the bow, numerous arrows deeply embedded in their bodies, blood flowing from their wounds into the river. The remaining guards, who could still move, shielded a woman carefully, staring fiercely at the approaching men.

Wang De used the side of the boat to shield himself, only exposing half his head as he shouted, "Xiang Fei, what are you doing?" Arrows had struck his shoulder and back during the first and second volleys, and as he shouted, the arrow feathers above the boat's side swayed, looking somewhat comical.

What are you doing? How foolish a question! These court officials are always like this. Xiang Fei gave Wang De a mocking glance and began to consider his next move.

Today, he had captured a genuine Lady of Jingling. Such a feat would surely bring him fame and fortune. Perhaps he could become a prefect? Or even a great general, with troops under his command. If he could achieve more on the battlefield, he could be ennobled. Lord Xiang Fei! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Xiang Fei's thoughts were joyful, and he took another careful look at the Lady of Jingling, who was hidden behind the guards. She seemed terribly frightened, curled up and trembling. Her long hair hung down, obscuring her face, but her figure was indeed very graceful. Hehe, perhaps... it seemed... before handing her over to the Xiongnu, he could... Xiang Fei suddenly felt a burning heat all over his body. He couldn't help but lick his lips and leaped down from the rock, striding forward.

With his steps, all the bandits moved closer, and the situation became increasingly dire.

******

Xiang Fei's men had already surrounded the small boat and its passengers. At this moment, no one paid attention to anything else.

About a hundred paces downstream, the riverbed was strewn with rocks of various sizes. Fist-sized, round pebbles had been carried down by the river from upstream, while large, jagged boulders had fallen from the cliffs on both banks. The river surged and roared through the chaotic rocks, crashing over the rugged terrain and forming many pools and marshes on both sides of the river.

Suddenly, a large splash of water emerged from one of the pools, and two people surfaced.

One of them was Lu Yao. He swam with one hand, lifting his upper body out of the water and looking around.

This deep pool was connected to the river below the waterline, and was surrounded by large rocks on all sides, with only a narrow gap facing south. The gap was densely covered with vines, making it very hidden. The shouts from upstream were faint and barely audible over the rushing water.

The edge of the pool was piled with many rocks. Lu Yao grabbed a rock and helped the woman he was holding onto the shore, then climbed up the other side, collapsing in exhaustion. Carrying someone who couldn't swim underwater was indeed a daunting task, as the legends said. After just a few dozen paces, he was already exhausted, and the long period of holding his breath had left his lungs burning.

The person Lu Yao had brought out of the water was the Lady of Jingling.

Earlier, when Lu Yao had suddenly attacked Wang De on the boat, he had used that time to make some arrangements. They pretended to have an internal conflict, deliberately causing chaos, and several people were injured and fell into the water.

The Lady of Jingling was one of those who fell into the water. To climb down the mountain from Funiu Fort, she had changed into simple, practical clothing, making her indistinguishable from the guards from a distance. As soon as she hit the water, Lu Yao, who was skilled in swimming, took her underwater and escaped, while the others pretended that the Lady was still on the boat, engaging the bandits in a delaying tactic. Normally, Wang De would never entrust the Lady's safety to anyone else, but in this dangerous situation, there was no other choice but to trust Lu Yao.

Perhaps because she had swallowed some water, the Lady of Jingling occasionally coughed lightly. She covered her mouth with her hand, trying to suppress any noise. Her breathing was shallow, and her chest rose and fell, the wet clothes clinging to her body, highlighting her slender waist and long legs. Her black hair, which reached her waist, clung to her pale cheeks and neck, making her look both frightened and breathtakingly beautiful.

Lu Yao had only seen the Lady of Jingling in her spirited male attire, and he was momentarily stunned. Fortunately, he remembered that this was not the time to admire a beauty, so he quickly averted his gaze.

"You... audacious!" the Lady of Jingling scolded, but then didn't know what else to say.

She instinctively felt that Lu Yao was not afraid of her status and position, but treated her as a woman he had met by chance and who had done him a favor. Whatever thoughts she had, her face turned red, and after a while, even her neck turned a rosy color. She lowered her head deeply, hugging her knees and curling her body into a smaller ball.

Lu Yao shook his head with a bitter smile and apologized, "My Lady, all that just now was a matter of necessity. Please do not take offense."

This section of the river was not deep, just enough to cover a person's head. However, the riverbed, composed of broken rocks, made the water conditions very complex. Beneath the seemingly calm surface, there were hidden currents and whirlpools, making diving quite difficult.

A more serious problem was that the Lady of Jingling was not a good swimmer and struggled desperately in the water. She had some martial arts skills, making her stronger than an ordinary weak woman, and Lu Yao had to use great effort to control her. The awkwardness of the situation was not something he could easily explain... Lu Yao touched the bloody wounds on his lips and sighed. Fortunately, Wang De and the other guards were both coarse and unfamiliar with swimming, so they didn't understand the intricacies. Otherwise, they might have sent the best warriors under the Eastern Sea King to hunt him down.

After a moment's rest, Lu Yao stood up and made some stretching movements. The large wounds on his body, which had already scabbed over, tore open again, and blood stained his robe. Especially the wound under his right elbow, which revealed white bone in the deepest part, looked particularly terrifying due to the loss of blood and the effects of the river water, which had turned the surrounding muscles gray.

The Lady of Jingling couldn't help but shrink back further.

The pool was surrounded by large rocks, making the light dim, so Lu Yao didn't notice the Lady's expression. He was pleased to find that his strength was quickly recovering, and the impact of the torn wounds on his physical functions was not as severe as it looked. Ironically, due to the long-term suffering from illness in his previous life, his pain threshold was quite high, and the pain from these external injuries was far below his tolerance limit. Lu Yao nodded in satisfaction and turned back to the water.

The Lady of Jingling asked urgently, "Where are you going?"

Lu Yao was taken aback and explained, "I had agreed with Wang De that he would engage the enemy to buy time for the Lady. Since the Lady has reached a safe and hidden place, I need to return to help them. Delaying could lead to unforeseen changes."

"You mean Wang De and the others haven't escaped yet?"

"The Lady need not worry too much. Wang De and the others are highly skilled, and my companions, Xue Tong and He Yun, are also very brave. As long as the Lady is safe, they can act freely and may not fear the bandits." Lu Yao comforted her casually. "The Lady should wait here quietly and avoid making any noise. Once the situation is resolved, we will come to find you."

The Lady of Jingling's face changed slightly, and after a moment, she stammered.

Lu Yao was busy tearing a piece of cloth to bandage his right arm and didn't hear clearly. He smiled apologetically and asked, "My Lady, you said..."

The Lady of Jingling hesitated, then repeated softly, "You don't have to go."

Lu Yao continued to tend to his wounds without looking up. "What does the Lady suggest?"

"You shouldn't go back," the Lady of Jingling emphasized. "These bandits are well-prepared, numerous, and well-equipped. Wang De and the others are no match for them, and even with you, the outcome won't be different... If you all die, my safety can't be guaranteed."

Lu Yao stopped his actions. "What does the Lady intend? Why not speak directly?"

"In the north, not everyone knows how to swim. At least these bandits are not skilled in it, and someone as proficient as you is rare. Since they are being held back by Wang De and the others, we can take the opportunity to go downstream. I noticed earlier that the river turns sharply to the east, and we can land there to avoid the bandits' sight. After that, we just need to enter the forest... In such vast mountains and forests, Xiang Fei will never find us."

Lu Yao's lips curled, and he subconsciously pressed his right hand against the bones of his left palm. He applied so much force that the bones in his left hand clicked. He looked at the Lady of Jingling. "What about your guards and maids?" he asked. "What about my two comrades?"

Under Lu Yao's gaze, the Lady of Jingling's face turned pale, but she continued confidently, "Wang De and the others are rare subordinates, and I would not abandon them unless absolutely necessary. After returning to Luoyang, I will provide generous compensation to their families. As for General Lu's subordinates..." She smiled and continued, "My father has some influence in Luoyang and is known for promoting young and capable talent. With your abilities, you can secure an appropriate position in the imperial army. Once you have command of troops, you will have many opportunities to avenge your comrades..."

Before she could finish, Lu Yao suddenly flipped into the water, his tall figure disappearing into the depths of the pool.

The Lady of Jingling stared at the deep pool for a while, then suddenly grabbed a stone and threw it at the water with all her might.

A loud splash echoed as the stone hit the water.

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