Zhong Xiaokui

Zhu Youning and his entourage of over five thousand people finally departed from Bian Prefecture in a grand, sweeping procession.

The scenery along the road was actually quite pleasant just after leaving Bian Prefecture.

Although the sunny, pastoral landscape was not as peaceful and idyllic as the poets of the High Tang praised, and the common folk still had to bear the burden of heavy taxes and labor, it could still be considered a place where people gathered and lived in contentment.

However, once they reached the borders of Pinglu in the east, there was no scenery left to speak of.

What replaced it was desolation.

It was not that these places were originally barren, but rather that they had been picked clean by refugees fleeing famine. To describe them as "uninhabited" would be no exaggeration.

The land of Pinglu encompassed areas like Hebei and the Shandong Peninsula, where the soil was fertile white loam. Consequently, refugees suffering from famine in other regions subconsciously assumed this place was rich in grain and chose to flee here.

But reality is often different from the impression in one's mind.

On this journey, Zhu Youning's contingent consisted of ten carriages, over forty draft horses, and more than a hundred pack mules.

The jewelry bestowed upon Zhu Youning by Zhu Wen was stored in the rear carriages, guarded by two hundred cavalrymen riding their own mounts.

Of course, only these two hundred men, along with about a thousand soldiers responsible for scouting and combat, were free of heavy burdens.

As for the remaining four thousand, they were all traveling on foot alongside the carts, both large and small.

After all, they were not going to war, but relocating their garrison; it was more like moving house. And moving house meant hauling bags and bundles everywhere!

Aside from grain and supplies, the soldiers carried many items, such as iron pots for cooking and drinking, hammers, rations, and spare weapons and armor, all of which needed to be carried by mules.

One could only say that moving was exhausting work.

The only exception was Zhu Youning. This lord unceremoniously claimed a massive, super-sized carriage all to himself, sitting comfortably inside while eating grapes peeled by Miaocheng Tian and Xuanjing Tian, completely oblivious to the world outside.

This behavior might seem like that of a spoiled playboy, but Wu Yi understood in his heart that while the Prince appeared to be indulging in luxury, he was actually sharp beneath his rough exterior, hiding in the carriage to avoid unwanted attention.

"Enemy soldiers! Form ranks!"

At this moment, Liu Xun, who was scouting ahead of the carriages, shouted out.

Inside the carriage, Miaocheng Tian's face turned pale with fright, and she asked, "Your Highness, why does it sound like someone is attacking us?"

Wu Yi drew his sword with a "shing," blocked the north side of the carriage, and turned his head to say, "Your Highness, the situation is unclear! This subordinate swears to protect you with my life!"

Almost a moment later, a group of mounted figures appeared in everyone's field of vision in the distance. These men roared loudly, whipping their horses into a charge, heading straight for the carriage where Zhu Youning was located.

Zhu Youning sat in the carriage and slightly lifted the curtain, naturally seeing the men and horses charging from the front.

This was truly an unprovoked disaster. He was just traveling with his maids, having left the city, eating grapes, and enjoying the company of beauties, only to be suddenly robbed by horse bandits.

And these horse bandits did not seem simple at all!

"Kill! Aim straight for Zhu Youning's carriage!"

A low voice rang out among the bandits, and the rest swarmed forward, momentarily displaying the momentum of a cavalry charge. This made Liu Xun notice something amiss.

These bandits were well-trained and strictly disciplined; they had no bandit-like traits at all!

"Anyone who flees the line will be executed! Failing to protect the Prince is a capital offense that cannot be pardoned!" Seeing the incoming enemy, Wu Yi shouted, "Infantry and cavalry, form ranks! Archers, prepare..."

Inside the carriage, Miaocheng Tian and Xuanjing Tian appeared at a loss, looking terrified.

Zhu Youning took in their performances at a glance.

This caused the two women to stiffen, though their faces still held a look of panic.

By now, the horse bandits outside had quickly charged to the roadside from a high vantage point, closing in on the carriages.

Observing them at close range, Wu Yi realized these bandits were not ordinary men; they looked strong and well-equipped, their formations moving with clear order, almost like a military unit.

Wu Yi suddenly felt overwhelmed.

Zhu Youning was not going to war this time, but relocating his garrison, so they were weighed down by heavy supplies. Encountering such a well-trained enemy, they were unable to mobilize their full strength in time.

Consequently, Wu Yi could not end the battle quickly. Although he held off the majority of the bandits, five fierce, ruthless thugs had already managed to slip through to the rear carriages.

Their target was precisely Zhu Youning's carriage.

"The reward of a marquis is ours for the taking today!"

These five ferocious thugs charged excitedly toward Zhu Youning's carriage.

However, at that very moment, screams erupted one after another.

The thugs charging toward Zhu Youning's carriage, for some unknown reason, fell from their horses before they could even react, each one landing face-first in the dirt.

Falling from a horse at high speed caused significant injury. The thug in the lead took a long moment to crawl up from the ground.

Yet, when he finally stood, he discovered that all four legs of his warhorse had been severed by some unknown object.

As for the other four thugs who had charged in with him, they were already lying motionless in a pool of blood on the ground, their fates uncertain.

The dust on the ground, already kicked up by the horses' hooves, now seemed shrouded in a mist of blood.

Within that bloody mist, he saw a petite figure.

The thug's eyes widened in shock: "How could it be you? Why are you here?"

The petite figure spoke with icy coldness: "Those who dare to waylay the Prince's path deserve to die!"

Hearing this, the thug could no longer doubt that he had been deceived. He pointed a finger at the petite figure, "You deliberately set us up—"

However, before he could finish speaking, a petite figure in the distance flicked her palm, and the horse bandit was sliced clean in half at the waist by something invisible, like a thread.

The farce of this ambush was quickly quelled, and Zhu Youning had remained seated in the carriage from start to finish, his expression unchanging.

With his current strength, he had no fear of any horse bandit attacks.

The only ones capable of threatening him were the experts of the Great Heavenly Rank. However, Great Heavenly Rank experts generally did not act lightly, spending most of their time in cultivation.

Although he was unscathed, this incident forced Zhu Youning to start thinking.

Who exactly would dare to waylay him? Why would they target him? And how did they know his location?

Just as Zhu Youning was speculating in his heart, a woman's voice drifted over.

"Zhong Kui of the Xuanming Cult is late to provide protection; I beg the Prince to forgive my sin!"

Xuanming Cult? Zhong Kui?

Zhu Youning was momentarily surprised, and Miaocheng Tian and Xuanjing Tian beside him exchanged a secret glance.

Following this, Zhu Youning stepped off the carriage to meet the Xuanming Cult's Zhong Kui.

The Xuanming Cult's Zhong Kui was actually just a title, or rather, a position.

The Zhong Kui of the Xuanming Cult was not held by some burly man with a thick beard, but rather by a young girl with a petite, exquisite figure, dressed in red combat attire.

This girl wore a uniquely shaped red hat, and her clothing was also red—tight-fitting and form-hugging, with graceful lines and a large character "Kui" printed on the back.

At this moment, she was kneeling on one knee before Zhu Youning's carriage with her head bowed, saying nothing.

Zhu Youning looked at her. "You are the Xuanming Cult's Zhong Kui, Zhong Xiaokui?"

"Yes." Zhong Xiaokui replied sternly, then cupped her hands and said, "Zhong Xiaokui wishes to follow the Prince and awaits your command!"