Ambush

Xu Qi'an was both surprised and unsurprised by this speculation.

Surprisingly, he had always thought that the Princess Consort of Zhenbei was the number one "flower vase" of the Great Feng Kingdom, and that she was essentially just a woman who shouldn't be involved in any confidential matters.

Not surprisingly, he was prepared after noticing that Chu Xianglong was accompanied by female relatives and learning from Yang Yan that the princess was also traveling with him.

"Since there might be danger, we need to take precautions, caution is paramount. Hmm, no rush, I'm busy with my own things."

Xu Qi'an picked up the cloth bag, placed the eight pieces of yellow jade on the table, and then took out the prepared carving knife to begin carving.

After having a good meal, the old lady lay on the bed for a short rest. She was a light sleeper and was soon awakened by the noisy shouts from the dock.

She angrily punched the pillow a few times, got up, walked to the table, cleared away the dishes, put the food container back, and left the room with it.

Going down the stairs to the second floor, she walked along the corridor, looking left and right at the rooms on both sides. This was the living area for the Nightwatchers and officials of the Three Departments.

She wasn't quite sure which room Xu Qi'an was staying in, but fortunately, she soon found the room of the lecherous Xu Ningyan, as the door was open.

After returning from Yunzhou, the young man, whose appearance had become exceptionally refined, sat at the table, carving several pieces of yellow jade.

"Knock knock."

She knocked on the door, and when he looked up, she said sternly, "Here's the food box back. Thank you."

He seemed awkward about saying thank you; his expression was particularly stiff when he spoke.

"Put it behind the door."

Xu Qi'an responded calmly, lowered his head, and continued his homework.

The old lady entered the room, gently put down the food box, and glanced at the table, where several exquisitely carved items were placed: a small sword, two jade steamed buns, an octagonal amulet, a seal, and a jade pendant.

She asked with interest, "Why are you carving these things? Your knife work is quite ugly."

After saying that, he chuckled to himself.

"To deliver the woman," Xu Qi'an said.

The older woman stared at the items on the table as she saw the woman off; her smile gradually faded.

"Every time I leave Beijing, I send some local specialties to the women who like me, along with a letter. This doesn't cost much money, but it pleases them and makes them like me even more."

Xu Qi'an spoke eloquently about his fish-raising experience.

The old woman was so angry that she looked at Xu Qi'an as if he were the scum of the earth, and sneered, "He really is a stinking man."

Xu Qi'an retorted, "Too bad you don't get any."

The old lady scoffed, "Who cares?"

He stormed off.

Before long, all the jade carvings were completed, and Xu Qi'an gave them a soul.

He first stored the "Little Sword" in the fragments of the Book of Earth. He didn't need to send it, since it was meant for Li Miaozhen. Xu Qi'an would give it to her when they met in the North.

Xu Qi'an spread out the prepared letter paper, took out pen and ink, and began to write:

"Half a day after leaving the capital, we arrived at Huangyou County. This place is famous for its Huangyou jade, which is soft and smooth to the touch. I liked it very much, so I bought a rough piece and carved a seal for Your Highness."

The seal bears the inscription. "Your smile, like a flower in bloom, paints the sky with vibrant sunset colors."

This was addressed to Huaiqing, and he slipped the seal into the envelope along with the letter.

The second letter was written to the embroiderer:

"Half a day after leaving the capital, we arrived at Huangyou County. This place is famous for its Huangyou jade, which is soft and smooth to the touch. I liked it very much, so I bought a rough piece and carved a jade pendant for Your Highness."

"I'm an utterly ordinary person; I see mountains as mountains, seas as seas, and flowers as flowers. But when I see you, only four words come to mind: three lifetimes."

He put the jade pendant into the envelope.

The third and fourth letters, written to Caiwei and Lina, contained almost identical content:

"Half a day's journey from Beijing, we've arrived in Huangyou County. There are countless delicacies in the world, but I've heard that in some faraway land, there's a culinary delight called 'Hujian Ren' (Fujianese). If I have the chance someday, I'd like to take you there, to search for it to the ends of the earth."

He stuffed the jade-carved steamed bun into the envelope.

The fifth letter was written to Zhong Li:

"Half a month after leaving the capital, we have arrived at Huangyou County. During my absence from the capital, I must stay well underground at the Bureau of Astronomy. We must believe that the days of hardship will eventually pass. Even if we suffer more and endure more pain, everything will blossom from the suffering."

"From now on, be my little princess, and you'll only eat XX and never suffer."

He put the octagonal amulet inside.

Then came Lingyue and Fuxiang's letters, along with their belongings.

The sixth letter was written to Lingyue.

"Half a week after leaving the capital, I've arrived in Huangyou County. I hope you had a safe journey, but I'm a little homesick, missing my gentle and kind sister back home. When I return, I'll make you some more jewelry. In my heart, Sister Lingyue is the most special, irreplaceable."

The seventh letter was written to Fuxiang.

"I forget which great scholar said it, but to have one true friend in life is to have no regrets. Fuxiang is my soulmate, and I hope our friendship will last forever, more enduring than gold."

Please maintain our current relationship!

Each fish needs a different message. It's essential to show them care and attention, making them feel important. You absolutely cannot be perfunctory.

This is the self-cultivation of a sea king.

Having done all this, Xu Qi'an stretched with a sigh of relief, looking at the seven letters on the table, feeling genuinely satisfied.

Last time on the border of Qingzhou, he wrote seven letters, two of which were written by his second uncle and aunt. Now, there are seven letters from girls alone, and if you add Li Miaozhen, that makes eight letters.

Xu Qi'an was delighted with the development of his fishpond business.

After carefully securing his belongings, Xu Qi'an left the room and went to Yang Yan's room first. He said in a deep voice, "Boss, I have something to discuss with everyone. How about we talk here?"

Yang Yan was still meditating and practicing his breathing exercises when he heard this. He frowned, instinctively disliking the interruption of his cultivation, but still slowly nodded. "Alright."

Xu Qi'an immediately ordered a silver gong to invite Chu Xianglong and the officials of the Three Departments to the room.

After sitting quietly at the table for a few minutes, officials from the three departments and Chu Xianglong entered one after another. Naturally, no one gave Xu Qi'an a friendly look, and they remained silent with cold faces.

One of the two censors, who was used to smoothing things over, laughed and asked, "What business does Lord Xu have summoning us for?"

"I need to change my route and take the land route instead."

Xu Qi'an made a startling statement, dropping a bombshell right from the beginning.

"That's impossible!"

Chu Xianglong was the first to object, his tone resolute.

Having learned his lesson from last time, he didn't continue arguing with Xu Qi'an. Instead, he stood with his hands behind his back, adopting an uncompromising stance.

"Lord Xu, please don't be ridiculous. In another ten days, we will reach Chuzhou. If we travel by land, it might not even take half a month," the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review scoffed.

"Even though you are the organizer, you cannot act recklessly and do whatever you please."

They could accommodate and tolerate Xu Qi'an's normal instructions, acknowledging his status and authority as the organizer. But this did not include arbitrarily changing the route.

Changing from waterway to land route would be too troublesome, requiring the arrangement of horses, carriages, and transport vehicles. After all, with two hundred or so people, it would be impossible for them to travel light, so the mission initially chose the faster and more convenient waterway.

Secondly, in military campaigns, only the highest-ranking general can change the route. Although an envoy is not an army, changing the route is still a major taboo.

Chief Constable Chen from the Ministry of Justice looked at Yang Yan and said in a deep voice, "Yang Jinluo, what do you think?"

Yang Yan remained expressionless. "That's definitely inappropriate."

Even Yang Yan, a fellow Nightwatchers, disagreed with Xu Qi'an's decision. It's easy to imagine that if he insisted on going his own way, he would only be making a fool of himself. Even the other Nightwatchers probably wouldn't support him.

"Snort!"

Chu Xianglong snorted coldly and said, "If there's nothing else, this general will head back first. It's best to avoid such mindless ideas in the future."

The head constable of the Ministry of Justice scrutinized Xu Qi'an and said, "General Chu, please wait. Let's hear what Lord Xu has to say."

Chu Xianglong turned around and looked at him in surprise.

To become the head constable of the Ministry of Justice, one must be an experienced person. The more he thought about it these past few days, the more suspicious he became. At first, he thought that Chu Xianglong had returned to the northern border with the delegation, both for convenience and to "monitor" the delegation for the Prince of Zhenbei.

After all, the case the mission was investigating in the northern border might be targeting the Prince of Zhenbei.

But the more he thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong. If only Chu Xianglong was accompanying them, that would be fine, but if the princess was also going, shouldn't a contingent of imperial guards be dispatched to escort them to the northern border?

Why am I hanging out with them?

The ship was full of men, and it was somewhat illogical that the prince's wife was traveling with them.

The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review couldn't help but look at Constable Chen, his brows furrowing slightly. He then glanced at Xu Qi'an and Chu Xianglong, lost in thought.

"Oh, as expected of a head constable from the Ministry of Ministry of Justice officials. "Xu Qi'an unfolded the map he was holding, looked at Chu Xianglong, and asked:

"General Chu, how come the Princess Consort is in the accompanying delegation?"

The head constable Chen from the Ministry of Justice, the two censors from the Censorate, and the vice minister of the Court of Judicial Review all turned to look at Chu Xianglong.

Xu Qi'an's question voiced their doubts and curiosity.

"What's wrong with the Princess Consort going to the Northern Border to meet with Prince Huai?" Chu Xianglong narrowed his eyes, staring sharply at Xu Qi'an.

He knew this was a secret from everyone else traveling on different ships. There was no need to hide it; as long as he quietly left the capital and no one knew, his goal would be achieved.

"I am the chief official in charge of the mission. Why haven't I received any notification before?" Xu Qi'an asked again.

Chu Xianglong said calmly, "It's just a small matter. The princess is traveling north via a route, and given her noble status, it's best to keep a low profile."

"Since the princess is of such high status, why not send the Imperial Guards to escort her?"

At this moment, Officer Chen suddenly asked a question.

"Yes, official boats are a mixed bag. If they knew the princess was traveling, they would have to prepare another boat," the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review said with a smile.

"Hmm, that's certainly not appropriate." An imperial censor frowned.

"These old foxes." Chu Xianglong glanced at the officials of the Three Departments and felt annoyed.

A few days ago, they showed hostility towards Xu Qi'an and secretly tried to curry favor with him. However, once something might be detrimental to them, their attitude immediately became ambiguous.

Seeing that Chu Xianglong remained silent, Xu Qi'an sneered, looked around at everyone, and said:

"As Constable Chen said, if the Princess Consort was going to the Northern Border to reunite with the Prince of Huai, then His Majesty could have simply sent the Imperial Guards to escort her. There was no need for her to sneak around in the delegation. Moreover, she even kept it a secret from us. Gentlemen, did you know beforehand that the Princess Consort was on the ship?"

The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and the two Imperial Censors shook their heads.

Xu Qi'an then asked, "Do you know what this means?"

The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review quickly pressed further, saying, "Lord Xu, please speak plainly."

Xu Qi'an said firmly, "This means we might encounter danger, such as an ambush, an ambush targeting the princess."

The two censors and the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review twitched, their expressions turning serious.

Chief Constable Chen from the Ministry of Justice remained expressionless, as if he had expected this.

Seeing this, Chu Xianglong knew that continuing to deny it would only alienate everyone, so he snorted:

"The Princess Consort's journey north this time does indeed have another purpose, but Xu Qi'an, there's no need to exaggerate. Even you don't know about the Princess Consort's departure from the capital, let alone others?"

"Ambush plans need to be prepared in advance. We've been traveling north by the fastest waterway, and the fact that the princess is accompanying us is a secret. How could we possibly encounter an ambush?"

The Dali Temple official and others nodded slowly, agreeing with what Chu Xianglong said.

They only discovered there were women on board after they had set sail, and later gradually realized that one of them was the Princess Consort of Huai. Even they only learned of this after departure; imagine how they could possibly ambush any potential enemies.

There's simply not enough time.

"What a scare, what a scare." The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review breathed a sigh of relief, his complexion improving.

Xu Qi'an chuckled and said, "Gentlemen, please be patient and let me finish speaking before you make your decision."

He then turned his gaze to the unfolded map, pointed to a spot on it, and said, "At the speed of the ships, we should pass through here by tomorrow evening at the latest."

The group walked to the table and looked around. It was a narrow, fast-flowing riverbed surrounded by high mountains on both sides.

"Here, if someone really intends to ambush us on both banks, the swift current makes it impossible for us to turn quickly, otherwise we risk capsizing. The high mountains on either side become obstacles to our escape to shore; they only need to lay in ambush in the mountains to wait for us to walk right into their trap. In short, if there's an ambush along this route, it will definitely be here."

Xu Qi'an's words caused everyone's recently relaxed emotions to tense up again.

Chu Xianglong stared at the map for a moment and retorted, "All of this is based on the premise that there is an enemy ambush, but as I just said, the enemy simply did not have time to set up an ambush in advance."

"Once we get through here, we'll reach Jianzhou within ten days. The prince's army will be there to greet us, and our mission will be accomplished. But if we travel by land, it will take half a month, and then things could get complicated."

Both sides stuck to their own versions of events and could not reach a consensus.

The officials of the Court of Judicial Review hesitated, as both sides had their merits and drawbacks, and choosing either one seemed unwise.

"Then I'll add fuel to the fire, "Xu Qi'an sneered.

"While traveling by land is risky and uncertain, it still offers some room for maneuver. If we are ambushed here tomorrow, our entire army will be wiped out, with no chance whatsoever."

The expressions of the two censors and the vice minister of the Court of Judicial Review immediately changed.

"I agree with Lord Xu's decision to change the route," said Constable Chen from the Ministry of Justice first.

"I agree with Lord Xu's decision. Make preparations immediately and change the route tomorrow," the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review immediately echoed.

The two censors also chose to support Xu Qi'an because his words struck at the heart of the civil officials' concerns. Compared to the potentially more troublesome and tiring land route, the water route, which could result in the annihilation of an entire group, was far more daunting.

No one dares to gamble with their life or fortune.

Chu Xianglong's cheek muscles twitched, his heart filled with rage. He glared fiercely at Xu Qi'an and said, "Xu Qi'an, I want to make a bet with you. What if we don't encounter an ambush in this river basin tomorrow?"

Xu Qi'an pressed his hands on the table, refusing to meet his gaze. "From now on, everything concerning the mission is up to you. But what if we encounter an ambush?"

Chu Xianglong said, "If you say one, I will never say two."

Xu Qi'an curled his lip and said disdainfully, "If I say one, do you dare say two? Stop with the nonsense, give me something real."

What do you want?

"Three thousand taels of silver, and the camp departure records of the northern garrison."

"Good."

Chu Xianglong readily agreed, but secretly thought he could back out later. Once they reached the Northern Border, he would be the one in charge. He had soldiers and generals under his command, and the Prince of Zhenbei would be there to back him up.

Xu Qi'an sneered, "Let's draw up a written agreement."

Chu Xianglong forced a smile and said, "Fine, but if you lose, you have to give me three thousand taels of silver."

Both parties have drawn up a written agreement, but haven't signed it; the result will be announced tomorrow.

Xu Qi'an turned to Yang Yan and asked in a consultative tone, "Boss, tomorrow you take the boatmen and go test the waters. How many people can you take with you at most?"

Yang Yan thought for a moment and said, "Six."

Six men were clearly not enough to steer the boat, but Yang Yan could only take six with him. If they encountered an ambush tomorrow, the rest of the boatmen would be doomed. Just as Xu Qi'an was in a dilemma, he heard Yang Yan say:

"Tomorrow I can use the air mechanism to propel the sails and maneuver the boat, so there will be no need for a boatman to row. Only a few people will be needed to steer."

With the boss's skill level, briefly navigating the boat shouldn't be a problem. He let out a sigh of relief, "Okay, let's do it that way."

Once the plan to change the route was finalized, the officials of the three departments and the unwilling Chu Xianglong immediately went to prepare for disembarking, notifying the guards, female relatives and other accompanying personnel on board.

Xu Qi'an didn't leave. Instead, he sat down at the table, took a sip of tea, and analyzed, "If we don't encounter an ambush tomorrow, it means that the so-called enemy doesn't exist, or they didn't have time to set up an ambush."

"This way we can breathe a sigh of relief. And if the enemy doesn't exist, even if Chu Xianglong is in charge in the delegation, it won't be a big problem. We can just put up with him for a few days at most."

The bet wasn't made on impulse. Even without this bet, Xu Qi'an would have privately asked Yang Yanming to test the waters by boat tomorrow.

Yang Yan nodded. "But what if there's an ambush?"

"Then we're in trouble. We haven't even reached the Northern Border yet, and we're already being blamed for that princess's actions." Xu Qi'an sighed and lowered his voice:

"If things get that bad, I have another plan, boss. I only want to discuss it with you."

The next morning.

A group of two hundred men left Buttershire, with four wagons, eighteen flatbed wagons loaded with supplies, and forty horses.

As for the Imperial Guards and the soldiers brought by Chu Xianglong, they advanced at a running pace.

The caravan followed the official road, heading north through the swirling dust.

"If Yang Yan's side didn't encounter an ambush, then after two days of traveling by land, we'll have to switch to water again. The land route is indeed tiring, and the journey is exhausting," Xu Qi'an muttered to himself as he sat on horseback.

The horse he was riding was an ordinary brown horse, nowhere near as impressive as the mare.

Just then, he saw the curtain of a carriage behind him lifted, revealing an ordinary-looking face that waved at him.

Xu Qi'an turned his horse around, slowly walked to the carriage, and said with a smile, "Auntie, what's the matter?"

"Why change to the land route?" she asked, sitting in the slightly bumpy carriage.

"For the safety of your princess," Xu Qi'an said.

She thought about it for a moment, and surprisingly, instead of arguing back, she nodded solemnly, indicating that she agreed with the reason.

It was dusk.

Liushitan (Flowing Stone Beach) gets its name from the rapid current that can wash away even stones.

Flanked by green mountains, the river's width resembles a woman's suddenly constricted waist, its flow roaring and white foam splashing everywhere.

A huge three-masted sailing ship slowly sailed upstream, reaching the middle of the scree slope. Suddenly, the turbulent water surged, and a thick object covered with black scales arched up before sinking back into the water.

After a few seconds of silence, a loud boom was heard as the massive three-masted sailing ship was lifted high into the air.

Amidst the gushing water, a black-scaled dragon burst forth, its horns embedding themselves in the hull and lifting it into the air.

"Click, click, click."

Cracks instantly spread across the hull, and the large official ship, capable of carrying more than two hundred people, fell apart, with fragments falling in a crashing torrent.

The instant the boat was lifted, Yang Yan used his aura to engulf the six boatmen, rising into the air. The powerful aura exploded beneath his feet, propelling him higher and higher as he soared away.

The dragon plunged into the water, splashing up a cloud of white foam. Moments later, a man in a black robe emerged from the water and stood on the water.

His features were effeminate, with a hooked nose, narrow eyes with vertical pupils, and a cold, ruthless gaze. His cheeks were covered with fine scales.

The man in black robes glanced at the broken pieces of wood washed away by the water, scoffed, and said in a cold voice, "We've been tricked."

They can't escape.

A young man dressed in white emerged from the dense forest on the shore, standing with his hands behind his back.

The man in white showed no anger or disappointment at the failed ambush. He calmly said, "We've deployed enough men this time. A mere fourth-rank official like Yang Yan can't fight against so many. The princess is ours for the taking."

The man in black robes frowned and asked, "Are you sure there are no other fourth-rank officials in the delegation?"

The man in white nodded, pointed to his eyes, and said, "Trust my eyes. Besides, even if there's another fourth-rank official, with our deployment, we can be absolutely certain of success."

P. S.: This chapter is a bit longer, so I couldn't update it on time. If I don't update on time in the future, it means the word count will increase, which is my way of making up for it.

Thanks to the leader of "Don't Make Me Embarrassed_" for the reward.