Chapter 245: Arriving at Qiyang County
Chapter 245: Chapter 245: Arriving at Qiyang County
After the battle ended, Yun No. 20 and Yun No. 18 immediately began moving the stones in the middle of the road.
“Master.”
Just then, Yun No. 2 and his men returned. They had been on the mountaintop when they heard a loud noise from the valley. Guessing what had happened, they rushed down. Seeing the corpses strewn everywhere, some of his men immediately began to clear them. Others went to help move the stones.
Yun No. 2 stood beside Xiao Yunjing.
“Master, there are forces from four parties.”
“Four parties? Who else?”
The known powers on this continent are the Daqian Kingdom, Fengli Kingdom, Xichen Kingdom, and Beijiang Kingdom. Beijiang Kingdom now belongs to Xiao Yunfeng. Would he send people to assassinate me? That’s impossible; he doesn’t have that kind of power. Could it be some martial arts factions?
Yun No. 2 shook his head. “I don’t know, but I have already sent men to investigate. We should have news by tomorrow.”
“Good, well done. You all stay. We’ll move together once the road is cleared.”
“Yes, sir.”
Yun No. 2 also went to help move the stones.
Within an hour, the mile-long stretch of road was cleared.
Then Xiao Yunjing ordered them to move forward.
Yun No. 20 drove the carriage, with Yun No. 2 and Yun No. 18 guarding on either side. Yun No. 8 and his ten men went ahead to clear the path and remove obstacles, while the rest guarded the carriage.
Xiao Yunjing sat inside the carriage.
As expected, after two miles, another wave of arrows rained down. This time, Yun No. 20 and the others managed to block them all without Xiao Yunjing needing to intervene.
After that, more black-clothed assassins appeared.
Then came those who used fire arts, poison arts, venomous insects, poisonous snakes—they employed every despicable method imaginable.
Whatever came their way, Xiao Yunjing’s group eliminated it.
This continued until daybreak when the carriage finally emerged from the mouth of the gorge, and the ambushes ceased.
The horses were utterly exhausted, collapsing to the ground and panting heavily.
Yun No. 20 stroked one of the horses, his heart aching for it.
“We rest and regroup here!” Xiao Yunjing called out.
“Yes, sir.”
Dozens of men immediately took fresh clothes from their bags and changed. Their black attire was soaked with crimson blood, the metallic stench of it hanging heavy in the air—a testament to the sheer number they had slain.
Yun No. 2 had the bloodied clothes collected and burned.
Xiao Yunjing also changed into a dark-colored robe. He washed up briefly in a nearby stream, planning to enter Li’er’s Space later to bathe properly and sleep.
Gu Qingli had anxiously waited in the Space until daybreak. Without bothering to freshen up, she immediately exited.
The moment she emerged, the pungent stench of blood assaulted her nostrils. Noticing the carriage was empty, her heart seized with panic, and she immediately jumped down.
“Madam?” Yun No. 18 saw her.
“Where’s your master?” Gu Qingli asked, her anxiety intensifying when she didn’t see Xiao Yunjing anywhere.
“Madam, don’t worry. Our master is by the small stream cleaning up. I’ll take you there now.”
“Alright.”
As Xiao Yunjing was returning, he saw Gu Qingli hurrying towards him. With a swift movement, he covered the distance in a few bounds, appearing before her in an instant.
“Yunjing, are you alright?” Gu Qingli asked, her eyes scanning him from head to toe. Only when she found no injuries did her heart finally settle.
She hadn’t slept all night in the Space, tossing and turning in bed as if she were a pancake on a griddle.
When Xiao Yunjing had left the Space, he had told her not to come out before daybreak. She knew that emerging earlier would only distract him, so she had forced herself to stay awake, her eyes open, until dawn.
“I’m fine now,” Xiao Yunjing said, noticing her bloodshot eyes and knowing she hadn’t slept all night. “Let’s go make some arrangements, and then we’ll enter the Space.”
“Alright.” While they were at it, she found a suitable spot and moved their carriage there; it was already stocked with horse feed and water.
After Xiao Yunjing made the necessary arrangements, he and Gu Qingli entered the Space together.
As usual, he first checked on the three little ones before going to bathe and eat.
Gu Qingli and Wuqing bathed the three little ones together and fed them their fill before they went to wash up and eat themselves.
By the time Gu Qingli returned to their room, Xiao Yunjing was already asleep.
Gu Qingli quietly climbed into bed, lying down gently beside Xiao Yunjing and gazing at his weary face.
“Do I look terrible, my wife?” Suddenly, Xiao Yunjing opened his eyes, his gaze meeting Gu Qingli’s.
He had been fighting the entire night without any rest. Even someone made of iron would be worn out. Yet, the moment Gu Qingli climbed into bed, he had awakened.
Gu Qingli shook her head. Her man always looks handsome. This fellow just keeps getting more mature, his aura growing more commanding. I adore it.
She extended her hands, cupping Xiao Yunjing’s face, and gently kissed him.
They didn’t leave the Space until the next morning, with Gu Qingli accompanying him.
It was early autumn, and the weather was starting to cool. Gu Qingli kept the carriage curtain lifted, watching the scenery pass by.
Some of the leaves on the roadside trees were beginning to turn yellow, the mix of yellow and green exceptionally beautiful.
She also saw people harvesting rice along the road. When she saw the heavy, laden ears of rice, she guessed it must be Xiao Yunjing’s doing.
“Did you order this?”
“Yes. It would be a reckless waste of a heavenly gift not to use Li’er’s brilliant method. It’s been implemented not only throughout Qiyang County but also in Beijiang and Beijing—and especially in Qinghe Village, of course.”
When Xiao Yunjing arrived in Beijing, he had issued orders regarding this matter. It was a command; no family was allowed to disobey. He wouldn’t tolerate any grumbling from those people; he had witnessed the effectiveness of Li’er’s method firsthand. There was no need to go from door to door persuading everyone. The government issued a direct order, and no one dared to resist.
“So, how is Qinghe Village now? And Dashuang and the others?” Gu Qingli had been wanting to ask for a long time, and now that Xiao Yunjing mentioned it, she couldn’t help but inquire.
Xiao Yunjing ruffled her hair. “I know you’ve been worried about them. Rest assured, when Qinghe Village was rebuilt, your husband,” he said, referring to himself, “sent silver to help. Dashuang’s family received aid too. Their house has been rebuilt larger; it’s a courtyard home now, just like our old place. I think Li’er will like it.”
“Thank you, Yunjing.” Gu Qingli’s heart swelled with emotion. This man, who appears so rough and unrefined on the surface, never does anything carelessly.
“How will you thank me?” Xiao Yunjing gazed at her with burning eyes.
Gu Qingli shot him a glare, then covered his eyes with her hand, too lazy to indulge him. This man is an insatiable wolf.
“HAHAHA…” Xiao Yunjing laughed heartily, capturing her hands with his. My wife is so adorable.
As they neared Qiyang County, Yun No. 2 and the dozens of men with him disappeared from sight, leaving only Yun No. 20 and Yun No. 18 to drive the carriage.
Sometime between three and five in the afternoon, their party arrived at the city gates of Qiyang County, where Yun No. 1 was waiting with a group of men to greet them.
“This subordinate and the others greet you, My Lord!” Yun No. 1 and his men all knelt in unison to welcome him.
“All of you, rise.” Xiao Yunjing lifted the curtain and called out, standing at the carriage entrance. He spotted a few familiar faces in the crowd, but knew this wasn’t the time for reunions.
The crowd rose, parting to form two lines and bowing respectfully.
Yun No. 20 immediately drove the carriage into the city.
Yun No. 1 and his men followed.
This scene greatly puzzled the onlookers. Isn’t that Lord Yun, the Prefect of Qiyang County? Is the person he’s welcoming someone from the Capital City?
Of course, the common folk didn’t know that Qiyang County was no longer under Daqian’s jurisdiction.
Xiao Yunjing felt there was no need for the common folk to know about this. Besides, the entirety of Daqian will be mine eventually.