The Grandmaster Strategist

Although the Duke is dead, his majesty is still there, and he has left a legacy of kindness to the people.

At the beginning, the Duke returned from Xiangyang to the south, and there was no shortage of people who followed him back. On the way, the Duke told him to live in the idle fields of Changsha, but it failed. He died in jail for treason. He still stayed in Anlu and Yunmeng wastelands. He also suspected that there was a trick, and the restrictions were very strict. The people were all suffering, and they cried: "It would be better to die under military law."

Shang Xiang was so angry when he heard about it that he secretly ordered his subordinates to massacre him. Someone from the old army secretly told everyone, "General, save everyone. Now Shang Xiang wants to kill innocent people. I can't bear it. Please do it now." The people all cried and didn't know what to do. Therefore, he gave it to him with an official letter and an order, and ordered everyone to return to Xiangyang at night. When those who received the order heard it, they pursued and killed them. All the generals on the road were from the old army of the public. When they saw the order, they all released it, and the people were able to return to Xiangyang. Nine times out of ten. When they arrived at Xiangyang, the people all cried to the city and wanted to be punished by the military. General Yong's eldest grandson Ji couldn't bear it and was undecided. The people submitted a public letter. The eldest grandson Ji sighed after reading the letter and asked for a pardon. To this day, the people of Xiangyang all worship the Duke's spiritual position.

——"The Biography of Duke Zhongwu, the History of Chu in the Southern Dynasties"

"The water pours down to the ground, and flows north, east, and west. Life also has its destiny. It is easy to sigh and sit down again. Drink wine to forgive yourself. It is difficult to break the road of singing with a toast. How can you not feel that your heart is not wood and stone? You swallow your voice and hesitate to speak. .(Note 1)”

The mountain road was rugged and winding. A beautiful middle-aged woman climbed up the mountain with two female swordsmen. When she heard the tragic song, the middle-aged woman showed a trace of ridicule at first, but then her expression changed. Sadly, he heard the gurgling sound of water in his ears and quickened his pace. After bypassing a cliff, my eyes suddenly brightened up. There was a square flat of half an acre in the middle of the mountain. On the right side, there were many cliffs, as sharp as the barrel of a pen. Between the cliffs on the left, a line of waterfalls was interrupted or continued, like a jade belt flowing. It is green, but there is a deep pool between the jagged rocks under the waterfall. The waterfall splashes on a huge boulder as white as jade in the center of the pool, which looks like pearls and jade in the sunlight. A man in green clothes sat on the bluestone beside the pool. He took off his shoes and socks and dipped his feet in the pool. He didn't seem to feel the biting chill of the snow-covered pool in winter. The middle-aged beautiful woman glanced at the unsheathed sword beside the man and sneered: "Wei Ying, do you regret your decision to rely on Lu Can and go against us that day?"

Wei Ying did not look back, and said calmly: "There are too many things in this world that I can regret. If I want to regret this, I might as well regret the palace hunting. These days, your losses are heavier than mine. Although I don't You have lost your backer, but you have lost your backbone, don’t you regret it, my dear concubine?”

The woman's face showed a strong anger, and her originally beautiful appearance almost became distorted. After a long time, she calmed down and said coldly: "Don't call me that, what a noble concubine, what a queen, I'm just a senior sister's They are nothing more than chess pieces. Empress Dou, Concubine Changsun, and Concubine Yan are Li Yuan's good wives and concubines. Who am I, Ji Xia? But this identity also has advantages. Otherwise, with Shang Weijun's power in Jiangnan, how could I have entered the country? Where is my snare? This time our losses are indeed heavy. Xiao Lan, Feng Feifei and Xie Xiaotong are all dead. Feifei and Xiaotong are just fine. Apart from their swordsmanship, they usually act with restraint. Xiao Lan But it's a pity, Yueyingxuan has always been taken care of by her, and now that she dies, I lose my help, which is really a headache."

Wei Ying said coldly: "Now that Fengwu Hall and Yihuang Hall only have you and Yan Wushuang as the two leaders, their strength is empty. That's why you persuaded the sect master to reconcile with Chentang and didn't even care about me as an assistant." Something about the general?"

Ji Xia raised her eyebrows and said: "Exactly, I not only hope to cooperate with you, but also hope that you will help me seize power. In order to save face, Yan Wushuang personally assassinated Shi Guan. Now he is seriously injured and ill. Ling Yu has always been indifferent. If you and I cooperate, it will be It’s not impossible to get the position of sect leader.”

Wei Ying turned around and said: "You are just wishful thinking. Ling Yu was able to firmly occupy the position of the sect leader. Firstly, it was because of the death of the master of the Brahma sect. Secondly, it was also because the female swordsmen trained by Senior Sister were still there. Half of them obeyed her orders. She has endured for many years and acquiesced in the situation where she was ostracized by us. However, she is not cowardly and will never let you do anything. And now, although the power of our three halls has been greatly reduced, the centipede snake,

Dead but not dead, the leader of Yan succeeded in assassinating Shi Guan, allowing us to join the Huaixi Army. This contribution is not small. Although Wei lost power, without Chentang as a peripheral force, you would not have a solid foothold in Nanchu. , on the contrary, it is you. The power that Qiao Yuan lost mainly belongs to Yihuangtang. If you cannot successfully complete this strategy of luring the enemy into a trap, although you have won over Shang Weijun and Zhao Long, Yihuangtang will also be reduced to a Vassal, if I were you, I shouldn't think about killing each other, but think about how to wipe out all the Jianghu forces that support the general? "

Ji Xia heard Wei Ying's sarcastic words. Instead of being upset, she smiled and said, "Okay, okay, you can speak frankly, so you still regard us as one of your own. Master, you heard this, and you won't doubt Chief Wei's loyalty." Alright?"

Wei Ying's eyes changed slightly, and his eyes fell on the two female swordsmen behind Ji Xia. They were both in their mid-thirties, with dull expressions, and impressive sword aura. There was nothing unusual about them, but Just when a strange look appeared in Wei Ying's eyes, one of them suddenly said loudly: "Uncle Master is right, Mr. Wei is really loyal." After saying that, he walked to the edge of the pool, reached into the waterfall, and bowed a little. The water washed away the medicine on the face, revealing the natural beauty, and said with a smile: "Uncle Master's method is still clever, but it's just some powder and medicine, and it was hidden from Wei Shouzuo's eyes."

With a slight sigh, Wei Ying calmly arranged his clothes, put on his boots and socks, stood up and said calmly: "It turns out that the sect leader intends to test me. Although Wei is serving the general, he is only doing it for the sake of the sect. Could it be that the sect leader thinks that Does Wei have any other options?"

Ling Yu showed a look of shame and said, "But it's me who is overly concerned. Brother Wei and I have the same friendship and are both from the same world, so how can we have two minds? This time, we must work together to make it happen." Fengyi Sect is making great plans in Southern Chu, so please, Brother Wei, please don’t blame me for deliberately testing."

Wei Ying sighed in his heart. This woman, who had been lackluster for many years, became a sensation and took over the efforts of the three halls for many years. The head of the Fengyi Sect chose her as his successor not just for the sake of balance of power. Although he sighed in his heart, his expression did not change at all, and he just said lightly: "This is a matter of course. The sect master has reorganized the three halls, so he should naturally confirm our loyalty."

Although Ling Yu looked indifferent, his eyes could not help but show joy at this moment, and he said happily: "It would be best if Mr. Wei can think like this. This time we set up a trap and will definitely catch all those ignorant people in the world. When the time comes, we will Fengyi Sect can dominate the world in the south of the Yangtze River, and since our power has penetrated into the imperial court and the army, we will surely be able to restore our former glory within a few years."

Wei Ying was speechless, but sneered in his heart.

Seeing his indifferent expression, Ling Yu felt even more relieved. She knew that Wei Ying had deep intentions. If he didn't return sincerely, he would not be so cold. In this case, she needed to win over Wei Ying. In her opinion, Wei Ying His talents are above all others in the sect. If he cannot get his sincere support, it will be extremely difficult for the Fengyi Sect to gain a foothold in the government and the public. Thinking of this, Ling Yu smiled at Ji Xia and said, "Uncle Master, please go and inspect it again. Only Uncle Master can handle this matter personally, so that I can rest assured."

Ji Xia said: "I obey!" After saying that, she walked down alone. The other female swordsman retreated to the turning point of the mountain road and guarded her with her sword. Ji Xia walked for a moment and knew that she had walked out of that place. The female swordsman slowly stopped when her eyes reached her, with a sad look on her face. She thought that she had been at the mercy of others all her life, and after running away to Nanchu, she even risked everything to gain power. However, in just a few days, All efforts were in vain, leaving Ling Yu, who pretended to be a pig to eat the tiger, to enjoy the fruits of his labor. Thinking of this, Ji Xia felt extremely tired. After a long time, her expression cheered up. Although Ling Yu regained the power, she did not believe that Wei Ying would be willing to obey his orders. Moreover, her three disciples were all quite impressive. Ji Lingxiang, the youngest disciple, was already a noble concubine and was the most favored in the harem. The second disciple Although the appearance of Lingjian is not very outstanding, the skill of swordsmanship is second to none among the new disciples. As for the eldest disciple Lingyu, Ji Xia frowned when she thought of her. This disciple did not pay much attention to swordsmanship, but was obsessed with music. This is not true. It's nothing. With her talent and appearance, it would be good if she was willing to win over the dignitaries in the court. However, she refused to die. If it weren't for her cold temperament that made everyone fall in love with her, she would not have allowed it. She was so unbridled, but this time she could no longer indulge her. Winning over Cai Qun was not only Ling Yu's decision, but also an important means for her to fight for power, so she must force this little girl to win over when she goes back this time. With so many thoughts in her mind, Ji Xia walked down again. After all, the most important thing at the moment was the battle that was about to begin.

Wei Ying withdrew his gaze from the waterfall and said, "The strength in Hall Master Ji's hands should not be underestimated. The sect master should not be so dismissive of her."

Ling Yu's eyes moved and he said with a smile: "This is natural, but don't you know that Brother Wei still holds a grudge against us because of Lu's affairs?"

Wei Ying said coldly: "Wei worked for the general just out of selfish motives for revenge. Now that the general is dead, I will not be buried for the Lu family. But you are so short-sighted, adding fuel to the fire and destroying the Great Wall. Aren't you worried that Yong's army will go south, and if Southern Chu is destroyed, what will be the use of you even if you have power over the government?"

Ling Yu sighed: "This is a last resort. If Lu Can is willing to cooperate with us, I don't want to do so. But you know that the Lu family and his son have no good impressions of our Fengyi Sect. If he takes power, he will only I'm afraid that we will have no place to stay. Although Lu Can is gone now, the military strength of Southern Chu has become much stronger in the past few years. It can at least defend the Yangtze River. As long as we can defend the south of the Yangtze River, there will always be a place for us to survive, so although the timing is not right , but we still had to take action.”

Wei Ying sighed softly and was speechless. Ling Yu saw this and smiled and said: "You have chosen this place as the ambush place this time. Is it really the most suitable place?"

Wei Ying said calmly: "There are two roads from Yuejun to Southern Fujian. One is from Changshan in Quzhou and takes Fenshuiguan Road. The other is from Jiangshan in Quzhou and takes Xianxialing Xiaoguan. From Jiangshanqinghu to Pucheng, there are two roads along the way. You have to pass through Xianxia Ridge, Danfeng Ridge, Liling, and Xianyang Ridge. The mountain road for hundreds of miles is full of places of death. Among them, Xianxia Ridge is the most dangerous, with steep cliffs, 360 levels high, and a total of 20. Four bends, twenty miles long, with several passes along the way, less than a foot wide. They are located high up, with one man in charge, and no one can open them. The precipitous place is no less than the Sichuan sword pavilion. If we set an ambush on the way, we will be safe. .”

Ling Yu's eyes flashed and he said: "Although there are many people in the Lu family's migration, except for Mrs. Lu and Lu Can's youngest son Lu Ting, there is no need to care about the life or death of others. However, as the Prime Minister meant, the person who rescued Lu Yun will definitely do the same. We have come to rescue the relics of the Lu family. In order to catch them all, we need to lure the snakes out. I want your Chentang to take action first and lure out the people who are secretly protecting them, and then concentrate all the power in the door to sweep the holes with thunder. What do you think?"

To Ling Yu's surprise, although this strategy obviously meant to weaken Chentang's strength, Wei Ying agreed: "It should be like this. Although Chentang has a large number of people, most of them are mediocre people. , even if the losses were heavy, it would not be a hindrance, but the lives of Lu's mother and son were still important. If they died in the melee, then the rescuers in front would retreat. It would be better to let the people outside Chentang and the elite soldiers sent by Shang Xiang attack first. , and then I will lead the masters in the hall to pretend to be the rescuers, and then protect Mrs. Lu and Lu Ting and wait for help. In this way, those who are secretly protecting will fly to them like moths to the flame, and wait until the appropriate time. At the right time, the sect leader can use all his power to kill them all."

Ling Yu was secretly pleased with Wei Ying's plan, and said: "In that case, I'll bother Brother Wei, but as far as I know, Lu Can's second son, Lu Feng, should be in your hands. You can't keep this son, and Brother Wei can't." Be kind-hearted and soft-hearted.”

Wei Ying knew in his heart that Ling Yu Ding had a secret agent around him, and that this person's status was not low, otherwise he would not know such secret things. However, at this moment, he no longer cared about such things, so he just raised his eyebrows and said: "This son's life or death has a fate." It doesn’t matter, but Wei Mou has always been cautious, and is on guard against any unexpected changes, and he can be used to win over the general’s old subordinates. If we want to kill him, we have to wait until we succeed here, otherwise wouldn’t it be a pity?”

Hearing this, Ling Yu smiled bitterly and said, "Brother Wei, it's too late. I have already sent Uncle Zhu to kill him, but I think it won't fail if I come here, right?"

Wei Ying's pupils shrank a lot in an instant, but he lowered his head to hide the murderous look in his eyes as if unintentionally, and said: "I'm afraid the people I sent to monitor this kid will not let Elder Zhu take action easily. It's a pity that the four people I have worked so hard to subjugate A guard."

Ling Yu smiled and said: "Brother Wei, don't worry, I have asked Master Zhu to be careful and not hurt your people casually. Master Zhu followed his master to fight in the world. Although he has retired for many years, his power is still there, and his sword skills are even more impressive." Being experienced and ruthless, he should be able to restrain those guards without hurting their lives."

Wei Ying lowered his eyes and thought to himself, Ling Yu was able to seize power in one fell swoop. In addition to the huge loss of power in Yihuang Hall and Fengwu Hall, people like Elder Zhu were also one of the reasons. Most of them were junior sisters or junior sisters of the same generation as the master of Fengyi Sect. The maids of the past had long since sealed their swords and retired to seclusion. They did not even participate in the Hunting Palace incident, but they were forced to flee to Nanchu together because of Chiyu Zhiyang. Now they are unwilling to be lonely and have returned to the world, but they are also very difficult to deal with. I wonder if Lu Feng can save his life? But regardless of Lu Feng's life or death, he couldn't care about him now.

At this point, both of them felt they had nothing to say, so they fell silent and looked at the mountain road below. Not long after, Cui Xiang, Wei Ying's confidant, walked up in a hurry. The female swordsman lightly stopped him, but before he could When Wei Ying spoke up, Ling Yu had already given the order to let them go. Wei Ying's eyes narrowed but he didn't say much. Cui Xiang stepped forward and bowed his head and said, "I would like to inform you, the leader of the sect, that in half an hour, the Lu family will reach this place. Please give me your instructions."

Wei Ying turned to look at Ling Yu. Ling Yu smiled slightly and said, "Brother Wei will arrange Chentang's attack on his own. I will also make arrangements. When the time is right, I will take action." After saying that, Ling Yu drifted away. go. Wei Ying knew that Ling Yu was still wary of him, and he might have to wait until Chentang suffered a heavy sacrifice before he would truly believe him. He sighed secretly, and said calmly: "You lead everyone in the hall to attack, and I will lead Chentang." The Blood Guards break in to protect Mrs. Lu and Mr. Lu, we will all act with masks on, and you can’t reveal your identity, don’t let them know the truth, so that we will fight each other without mercy, and no flaws will be exposed.”

Cui Xiang was shocked when he heard this: "Your Majesty, this will greatly damage Chentang's strength. I'm afraid it will be harmful rather than beneficial. Please consider it carefully, Your Majesty."

Wei Ying sneered and said: "Although there are many members of Chentang, most of them are forced to accept them by using both soft and hard tactics. Among them, only twenty-three out of ten are loyal to me. Most of the others are following the trend. Now that I have lost power, I'm afraid they have long been heartbroken. If you have any intention of rebelling, this time it’s time to kill someone with a knife and clear out the scum in the hall. Even if they all die, there is no regret. My blood guards can protect themselves. You don’t have to worry about my safety. Just treat us as enemies. Just be careful. Some, just don’t kill yourself.”

Cui Xiang's heart was filled with ice. Although Wei Ying had always been decisive in killing, today's viciousness still made him stunned. This time, the ambusher in the hall was a master who had been recruited for many years, accounting for ten percent of the strength in the hall. Wu Liu, once it was damaged, Chentang's power would be greatly reduced, but Wei Ying didn't care about it. Then I thought about how Wei Ying had recruited masters from the hall to form blood guards over the years. These blood guards were not only highly skilled in martial arts, but also loyal to Wei Ying. Although they were small in number, they accounted for 40 to 50 percent of the strength in the hall. However, they were only blood guards. The guards are responsible for attacking fortifications, but they often suffer losses, and their number is still less than fifty. This time Wei Ying brought almost all the Blood Guards here. He originally thought he was going to give a final thunderous blow, but he didn't expect that Wei Ying would let these Blood Guards and the main force of Chentang fight each other. The more he thought about it, the more he thought Wei Ying was crazy. Cui Xiang stood there blankly, unable to say a word to act as ordered.

Wei Ying's heart was as cold as ice. Seeing Cui Xiang like this, he said without mercy: "If you still don't go, are you trying to resist the order?"

Cui Xiang noticed the cold murderous aura on Wei Ying's body, and felt a chill in his heart. He suddenly thought that Li Ming was missing. Wei Ying always trusted Li Ming even more, but this time he didn't bring him here. Was he on Wei Ying's orders to wait in secret? , that's why he would not hesitate to compromise Chentang's strength, presumably to eliminate internal hidden dangers. After thinking about it, he suddenly understood that this was exactly the method Wei Ying used to use people, and it would not be easy for others to know his true purpose and plan. , and said happily: "I obey."

Wei Ying looked at Cui Xiang's leaving back, his eyes as cold as ice. On the surface, it seemed that his confidantes were Li Ming and Cui Xiang, and Cui Xiang was given more importance. But in fact, he had no regard for Cui Xiang. Some distrust. This person has the ability to subdue the demons and monsters who come to Chentang. He has outstanding martial arts and is very efficient in his daily actions. However, such a talent is content to be subordinate to Chen. He has not much kindness to him, and he feels uneasy no matter how much he thinks about it.

It's just that Wei Ying didn't quite trust these subordinates who were coerced by force and wealth, so he handed over most of Chentang's power to Cui Xiang, and just watched the goings on with a cold eye, allowing these fragmented martial arts masters to fight openly and secretly, while he chose some from them. Those who are available will be conquered and incorporated into the Blood Guard. These truly loyal Blood Guards will be led by himself and no one can interfere. Instead, Li Ming, who is under Cui Xiang, can know some secrets because he is trusted. . Just after talking to Ling Yu, Wei Ying knew that among the people in Chentang, there must be Ling Yu's people, and Ling Yu was extremely angry, Cui Xiang was probably her target, and just now he saw Ling Yu treat Cui Xiang like this. Wei Ying's attitude became even more suspicious. At this moment, Cui Xiang frankly agreed to lead the people to kill each other, without caring about the lives and deaths of his subordinates, and he even had murderous intentions in his heart. If Cui Xiang hadn't acted in such a way that coincided with his wishes, Wei Ying would have killed him suddenly.

Forced to suppress the murderous intention in his heart, thinking that everything would soon come to an end, Wei Ying turned his attention to the waterfall again, and saw a stream of spring hitting the rocks, flying jade, flying snow, and smoke, and he felt infinite sadness in his heart. Looking up at the haze, the sky is endless, the mist rises in the eyes, Lu Can's voice and smile appear before my eyes, thinking that Lu Feng, whom I have worked so hard to protect, might have been killed, the pain in my heart is unbearable, and a few drops of clear tears fall into the pool, and in a blink of an eye, No trace.

A group of people and horses walked slowly on the winding mountain road. At the front was a group of forbidden soldiers. They were all walking carefully for fear of falling into the deep valley on the side of the post road. They were all fully clothed and armored. Although they were climbing mountains and ridges, they were still walking slowly. It was very hard, but I had no intention of taking off my armor and walking lightly. The forty or fifty people walking in the middle had different appearances, but they were all haggard and dusty. There were also some old, weak, women and children among them. Among them was a middle-aged woman who was walking very hard. Although this woman is wearing rough prison uniform, she is still graceful and graceful, but her face is covered by sweat and dust. The two young women beside her are each carrying a package. Although it is extremely difficult, they still seem to have enough energy to support them from time to time. The middle-aged woman moved forward. In addition to these three women, there are five or six women, most of whom are around 20 or 30 years old. Many of them are supported by men. They look like husband and wife at first sight. There are also some boys and girls gathered together and enjoying each other. Carrying the mountain with them, they struggled to climb. There was even a five or six-year-old boy who was unable to climb alone and was tied to the back of a middle-aged man. In addition, there were twenty or thirty men, all of whom seemed to be around thirty years old. Although they were all wearing prison uniforms, there was a faint murderous aura in their movements, and they formed a faint military formation to protect the women and children.

Behind them, there was another group of forbidden troops. They still carefully monitored the prisoners in front of them as they climbed, lest something happened. Originally, if someone escaped on the way, or something happened, it wouldn't be a big deal. At most, he could just report an illness and die. But these are all imperial prisoners. Let alone one who escapes, even if one dies, the higher-ups will probably do the same. Blame it down.

What's more, these forbidden troops all know who they are escorting. General Lu Can is famous and has countless former troops, and there are countless righteous people who are willing to die for him. Things have changed. On the day Lu Can died in Qiao Yuan, someone wanted to rescue him. There had already been an uproar, not to mention that Lu Yun, who had already been sentenced to death, was kidnapped. If someone said that no one would kidnap prisoners on the road, these forbidden troops would never believe it. The mountain road in Xianxia Ridge is rugged, but it cannot stop the people in the world. If someone takes the opportunity to rescue Mrs. Lu or the young master, this will be a serious crime of annihilation.

Of course, Duan Yue, the captain of the imperial army behind, has other worries on his mind. He is also a child of a noble family. Although the family is not powerful, he can barely gain a foothold in Jianye. Although he is not the legitimate son, he still has to inherit the care of the family. , became a captain of the Forbidden Army, commanded more than a thousand sergeants, and was stationed outside Jianye City. I thought that this life would pass by in such a hazy way, but I didn't expect that this time I would take on a hot job and get an order to escort him. Lu Can's family went to Dingyuan in Tingzhou, which was a wild and savage land. Regardless of whether he could go back alive, just the thought of the hardships and dangers along the way was enough to stop him from moving forward. What's more, in addition to worrying about someone coming to rob the prisoner, he was also worried about another thing. Although not many people dared to discuss it privately under Shang Weijun's high pressure, the rumors that Shang Weijun intended to eradicate them had long been It was secretly rumored that unless he was a close confidant of Shang Xiang, he would not secretly signal him to take action on the way, but if he really got the secret order, he also doubted that he would have the courage to take action. The general had a great reputation during his lifetime and had countless former subordinates. If he had really become an accomplice, he would most likely be regarded as a scapegoat. Even if the Prime Minister refused to silence him, those arrogant and powerful generals would not be able to let him go. Even if he was lucky enough to be in the army, Don't even think about raising your head. If you are charged with such a crime, you will inevitably be ostracized even among the imperial guards who are directly related to Shang Xiang.

What makes Duan Yue even more headache is that he didn't get any secret orders until he left Jianye. This leaves two possibilities. One is that the prime minister has no intention of embarrassing the general's family. This is naturally the best. As long as he It will be fine if the imperial prisoner is safely sent to Dingyuan. I think the old general's army may not be willing to take the name of rebellion and rob the prisoner. Even if it is to rob the prisoner, as long as he knows better, he may not die. Return to The most that Jianye can do is to get rid of his military position. With the mediation of his family, his life should be fine. But if Shang Xiang is planning to send other people to intercept and kill them, and all of them are sacrificed, then there will be no chance of survival.

With this thought in his mind, Duan Yue was not only cautious along the way, but also unwilling to be rude to the Lu family. He thought that if he really encountered an enemy attack, he might be able to get help. But he knew that he would be attacked this time. In addition to Mrs. Lu, mother and son, and some maidservants, there are also some Lu family generals who have been displaced. Most of them have fought on the battlefield. Compared with these inexperienced forbidden troops, they are more useful. If they can reach Dingyuan safely, even if they can reach Dingyuan safely. Having secretly offended Shang Xiang, it is not that there is no hope for him.

Wei Ying saw Mrs. Lu and his entourage from a distance. Although they were still several miles away, it seemed to him that they were right in front of him. Although the figures appeared and disappeared due to the twists and turns in the mountain road, his eyes almost penetrated the layers. The mountain rocks fell on Mrs. Lu. Although the mountain roads in Xianxia Ridge were quite well built, the roads were paved with bluestones collected from the cliffs. They were flat and neat, but the mountain was dangerous. There was a turn every five steps and a turn every three steps. Shangling has cliffs on one side and mountain streams on the other. You can't ride horses or cars, you can only climb on foot. Even ordinary men will suffer from the journey, let alone a woman like Mrs. Lu. Thinking of this, I feel sad in my heart. The general is like this behind him. Withering, how can the love be so unbearable. His eyes flickered, and he saw Lu Ting being carried by a general of the Lu family. Thinking that most of the young brothers and sisters were still alive and dead, he felt a slight pain in his heart.

When Wei Ying was getting confused, the Imperial Guards in front had already arrived at a relatively gentle mountain. The frightened Imperial Guards felt relieved and took refuge on the green grass by the roadside, sitting or leaning on each other to rest. . Wei Ying sneered slightly when he saw this. He stood on a high place overlooking the mountain road below, and the forbidden troops did not notice it. Thinking of the Yong Army and the Chu Army under Lu Can he had seen before, how could they have been so arrogant when they were marching? He took out a piece of cyan from his arms. He covered his face with a silk handkerchief, revealing only a pair of eyes, and then took a few steps back to avoid being noticed by the generals of the Lu family. These generals would definitely pay attention to their surroundings and would inevitably see his figure. At this time, he walked up from behind the cliff. Thirty masked men in fine attire, all carrying weapons and walking calmly, bowed down and bowed down after seeing Wei Ying. Wei Ying signaled them to be silent and still looked down.

Not long after, the sound of people rushing under the cliff was heard, but everyone behind them also arrived. Duan Yue saw that the place was wide and flat, so he ordered to stop advancing. It was already noon and it was time to take a rest. All the sergeants and the Lu family took out dry food and water to eat individually. Those Imperial Guards who had been in the prosperous land of Jianye in the past complained endlessly about how they had suffered such suffering, but everyone in the Lu family was silent. Two young women helped Mrs. Lu sit on the bluestone by the roadside, and Lu Ting was hit by that The Nian family untied him and carried him to Mrs. Lu. ,

The general's name was Lu Kang. He was Lu Xin's bodyguard and was loyal to the Lu family. However, because of his upright temperament and unwillingness to leave Lu Xin, he never led the army alone. After Lu Xin died, Lu Can respected him very much, and because he was already over forty years old, he kept him in the mansion to lead the family. Lu Kang is forty-six years old this year. His wife passed away the year before last and he has no children, so he loves Lu Can and all his sons as if they were his own children, especially Lu Ting, who is the most beloved by him. This time the Lu family was robbed, Lu Kang and Mrs. Lu fled, and the road to Xianxia Ridge was difficult. Lu Kang was afraid that Lu Ting would make a mistake when he was young, so he tied him to his back. Even if other generals wanted to carry Lu Ting, he couldn't rest assured. .

Although Lu Ting was carried on his back, he had experienced all kinds of tragedies in the past few months at a young age. He also learned that his father had passed away and cried endlessly. He was already a little uncomfortable when he set out on the road. The road was difficult these days, and he was not accustomed to the climate. He was thin. His eyes were black and blue, which was very heartbreaking to see. Mrs. Lu hugged Lu Ting, gently fed him water, and let him eat solid food. Lu Ting only took two bites and then couldn't eat anymore. Mrs. Lu was worried, but there was nothing she could do. Although the two young women around her were called maids, they treated Mrs. Lu as a sister. One of the maids named Lu Zhen persuaded: "Madam, when we arrive in Pucheng, we will ask General Duan to stay there for a few days and invite a guest." The doctor came to diagnose and treat the young master. After entering Fujian, Shang Weijun's power was not that great. General Duan took good care of him along the way, so I don't think he would refuse."

Mrs. Lu sighed softly: "That's all. Yun'er, Feng'er, Xiu'er and Mei'er are all missing. If Ting'er is in trouble, I won't be able to see their father even if I die." After that, , and broke the dry food into pieces, forcing Lu Ting to eat it. Seeing her like this, the two maids shed tears. They were both orphans taken in by Mrs. Lu, and they had learned martial arts from the generals. This time when the Lu family was robbed, Mrs. Lu was aware of it beforehand. They also dispersed the maids at home. The ones left behind now have received great favor from the Lu family and are determined not to leave. These two maids have always been Mrs. Lu's favored maids, and they have some martial arts, so they insist on refusing. It would have been even more difficult for Mrs. Lu if she hadn't taken care of them along the way.

At this moment, Lu Kang, who was leaning on the mountain wall with his eyes closed, suddenly frowned and whispered: "Everyone, be careful, I heard someone coming from a few miles behind. The pace of the people coming was chaotic and fast. I guess this is not an ordinary business trip. "

The generals of the Lu family all knew that Lu Kang had been in the army for many years and was good at listening. They were all shocked and looked at Mrs. Lu. Mrs. Lu didn't know anything about military affairs, but she looked at Lu Kang. Lu Kang said softly: "If it's a big deal, Most of the general's old troops who came to rescue were people from the military. These people were definitely not. Although I heard that some righteous warriors were involved in Qiao Yuan's incident, if my wife could reach Dingyuan safely, it would be better than hiding and escaping from prison, so these people They are probably not here to save us, but the Imperial Guard is useless, so we might as well find a way to take advantage of the chaos and seize weapons to protect ourselves."

All the generals hated the Forbidden Army deeply, and they couldn't help but express their approval. At this moment, Duan Yue came over with two sergeants. Seeing this, everyone moved slightly to prevent sudden changes. Duan Yue didn't notice it at all and said loudly: "Mrs. Lu, I didn't expect that the journey would be so difficult. , when we arrive at the Xianxia Inn at the foot of the mountain, how about we hire a sedan and let the madam and the young master ride in the sedan tomorrow?" Everyone in the Lu family was overjoyed when they heard this, but Madam Lu said lightly: "I thank you, general. I have good intentions, but I am afraid that I will violate the law and implicate the general." When Duan Yue saw Mrs. Lu, he did not refuse strictly. He knew in his heart that Mrs. Lu was worried about her son, so she accepted it willingly. He smiled and said: "Madam, you are serious, there will be nothing in the end. As for other skills, these brothers can still control them, as long as they don’t let others know, Madam can walk again when she reaches the gentle land of Xianyang Ridge."

Mrs. Lu was also a little happy when she heard this. She thought that if there was a soft sedan, at least her beloved son could rest. She glanced at Lu Kang and nodded. Lu Kang understood in his heart and stepped forward and said, "Mrs. Lu Kang, thank you, General." Then he said. Then he whispered: "General, be careful, there are uninvited guests behind you."

Duan Yue was horrified when he heard this. He glanced at Lu Kang blankly and walked back in a hurry. He thought that if he didn't feel that after going to Xianxia Ridge, he wouldn't have to worry about Shang Xiang's eyes and ears, so he kindly offered to hire a sedan for Mrs. Lu. The general might not tell him this, so he couldn't help sighing that his good intentions were rewarded, and he quickly whispered an order to have some sergeants block the pass at the back, and some sergeants to go to the front to explore the way. The training of these forbidden troops was not good, and the situation on the mountain road was chaotic for a while. The generals of the Lu family frowned and laughed.

While the Forbidden Army was in chaos, screams suddenly erupted from the front of the mountain road. Duan Yue was startled and turned around to look, only to see a Forbidden Army staggering back. As soon as he left the pass, he stumbled and fell. The clothes on his back were His armor had been divided, and blood was flowing out. It was obvious that someone had cut the armor with a knife, injuring his life. Duan Yue felt a chill in his heart. The attack came from the front. Could it be that Lu Kang misled him? Before he could think clearly, the sound of his soldiers' scolding and the clash of weapons could be heard on the mountain road behind him. Turning back, Duan Yue saw some black-clothed and masked men approaching the narrow pass. Fortunately, the mountain road It was narrow and blocked by the Forbidden Army sergeants. Although these sergeants were not good at fighting, they knew that if they lost the pass here, they would probably lose their lives, so they did not hesitate to live or die and blocked the mountain road. Duan Yue felt relieved and quickly ordered the Forbidden Army in front to block the pass in front. If the passes at both ends of the mountain road here were occupied by the enemy, the vast terrain in the middle would be most suitable for fierce battles. By then, there would be no chance of survival, so Duan Yue was afraid that there would be no chance of survival. Yue issued orders repeatedly, forcing his sergeants to defend. At this time, the traces of the enemies at the front and back were exposed. After a while, Duan Yue learned from the sergeant that there were more than a hundred enemies at the front and at the front, attacking in turn. They all looked like Jianghu people who were good at martial arts, which was suitable for fighting in a narrow place. There was a fierce battle. If he hadn't brought a few powerful crossbows, he might have been attacked by those people. Duan Yue was worried, but he said loudly: "You bandits, how dare you rob the imperial army, retreat quickly, and you can still save your lives."

Hearing this, the men in black burst out laughing, and one of them chopped off the head of the soldier in front of him with a knife, and then laughed and said: "You forbidden soldiers are all incompetent people, just kill them, who cares about you?" Life, if you want to kill us, you must have the ability. Are you under the command of the general?"

Duan Yue was even more horrified when he heard this, thinking that these were the Jianghu figures who came to save the Lu family, and loudly said again: "If you are the old subordinates of the general, you should know that coming to rob people is harmful and useless. Although Mrs. Lu and Young Master You have moved to southern Fujian, but you may not have the chance to be pardoned and return home in the future. If you act recklessly and rob imperial prisoners, the Lu family will really disappear by then."

Those men in black laughed loudly and stepped up their offensive. Some even said some dirty words. Although they did not insult Mrs. Lu, their words were abominable and made everyone in the Lu family frown.

Duan Yue groaned in his heart. These people were neither ordinary bandits nor members of General Lu's side. They must have been assassins who intercepted the Lu family. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel the same hatred as the enemy. He turned to Mrs. Lu and begged: "Madam, these gangsters must have bad intentions. Could you please Madam to order the generals in the mansion to help the general?"

After hearing this, Mrs. Lu thought for a while and said: "These people are by no means old friends from my late husband. If the general loses, I am afraid that our experience will be even more embarrassing. It is indeed better to fight side by side. General, why not leave the defense in front to Lu Kang Command, General, how about focusing on the battle behind?"

Duan Yue was overjoyed, and he quickly agreed and distributed some weapons to the generals of the Lu family. Lu Kang left five generals to protect Mrs. Lu and other women and children. He led more than 20 generals to the front. These generals were all A warrior who is good at fighting, coupled with Lu Kang's good command, the crisis in front was stabilized in less than a moment.

But despite this, the men in black who attacked were all fierce bandits who were skilled in martial arts and had very sophisticated weapons. Although they were not good at fighting, because the mountain pass was narrow, force became the key. One of them could almost defeat several people. There was only one sergeant, so the strength of both sides was ebbing and flowing. In less than an hour, the Forbidden Army had already suffered numerous casualties. Without the fighting power of the Lu family generals, the pass would have been breached.

Lu Kang was anxious, thinking that these ruthless bandits must have figured out that this place is easy to defend and difficult to attack. Although it is not easy for them to break in, it is not easy for us to break out. They want to catch us all, but even though After thinking about this, there is nothing to do. Although the generals of the Lu family are proficient in martial arts, compared to those tough bandits, close combat is not their specialty. If it were not for their strength and cooperation, they would have been killed by these gangsters. The men in clothes came in.

Just when Lu Kang was anxious, he suddenly heard the maid Lu Hui shout loudly: "Uncle Kang, someone is coming down from above."

When Lu Kang heard this, he looked up and saw five or six long ropes being lowered from the cliff. Some masked men in black were helping the ropes down. He was shocked. He was about to be shot with a crossbow when he saw one of them hand With one move, it was a jade token, and then he threw it gently. Lu Kang subconsciously reached out to catch it, but it was the Lu Can Token. With it, he could enter and leave the general's mansion. Lu Kang looked carefully, and he could already see the figure of this person in just a moment. Just like Wei Ying. But he hesitated in his heart. Although Wei Ying was a confidant of the general, he was still a member of the Fengyi sect. It was no secret that the Fengyi sect colluded with Shang Xiang and slandered the general to harm the general. He didn't dare to do anything about Wei Ying. Sure. Just when Lu Kang hesitated, more than ten men in black had already landed on the ground. The man who threw the jade token did not take off his veil, but pointed to his arm, and there was a blood-colored silk scarf. Then he walked forward with his weapons. The forbidden soldiers wanted to separate their groups to fight, but they were stopped by Lu Kang. The man ignored everyone's suspicions, walked forward, and stabbed to death a black man who broke in with a sword. A tough bandit.

Lu Kang was overjoyed when he saw this, and said loudly: "This is one of our own, don't worry, everyone. He also told everyone to pay attention to the red scarf on their arms." Everyone then relaxed and went to meet the enemy with all their strength. And these men in black have all come down, splitting up to support both sides. These masked men in black clothes and red scarves are all highly skilled in martial arts and fearless of death. With their help, the offensive of the masked gangsters is gradually contained. However, these people are all gangsters. They fight with equal strength and the losses are getting higher and higher. It was tragic. Both sides were extremely ruthless. Even if they were injured by the sword, they did not show any fear. They just risked their lives to attack and kill. Within a moment, the passes on both sides were covered with blood, but the road was narrow. If there were any seriously injured or dead in battle, They often lose their foothold and fall down the mountain road, otherwise they are afraid that the road will be blocked by corpses.

Although the people trapped on the mountain road received reinforcements, the enemies on both sides were also outnumbered. After a long hard battle, everyone gradually became exhausted. Instead, the enemies took turns to attack, and they were still fierce. Lu Kang wiped away the blood on his face, looked at the masked man leader who had retreated and was standing beside him adjusting his breath, and whispered: "Mr. Wei came to the rescue. General Quanxia Youzhi will definitely be grateful."

Wei Ying felt that his floating aura gradually stabilized, and he did not answer Lu Kang's words. He just glanced at the mist of the mountains on the other side of the mountain road and said, "I'm just here to die."

Lu Kang was shocked. He was about to say something when he saw thunderous roars coming from behind, and a clear voice went straight into his ears. However, someone luckily shouted: "Ding Ming is here, Mrs. Lu, Mr. Lu Don't worry." Then the scholar's screams were heard in his ears, but strong reinforcements had arrived. Lu Kang was overjoyed and hurriedly said to Wei Ying: "Mr. Wei, can you please welcome Ding Daxia? If you cooperate inside and outside, you can definitely eliminate the enemies behind. "

Wei Ying's eyes flashed with coldness and he said, "Don't worry."

After that, there were still 16 survivors of those masked men in black clothes and red scarves. Nine were at the front pass and seven were at the back pass. When Wei Ying heard Wei Ying's fierce shouting, four more people were separated from the front. Come over, as Wei Ying rushes to the pass behind, the remaining imperial troops retreat in accordance with Duan Yue's order, leaving only the generals of the Lu family to cooperate with Wei Ying and others, attacking from both sides. The fierce bandits encountered the enemy in front and back, but within two seconds Time has already caused death and injury. Wei Ying stabbed a masked gangster with his sword. The man fought back with his sword, but it only sliced ​​off Wei Ying's face mask, leaving a scar on his handsome face. The doubts that had long existed in the man's heart were finally answered after seeing Wei Ying's appearance. He pointed at Wei Ying and said sternly: "You——" Before he could finish his words, Wei Ying had already blocked his throat with a sword and kicked him down the mountain road. At this time, Wei Ying's eyes were blurred, and he saw a sword ray piercing the sky. When Wei Ying took a closer look, he saw a commoner Confucian turned around the pass, the long sword in his hand was shining brightly, and two fierce bandits were covering their hands. My eyes screamed in pain, and I stumbled down the cliff.

Ding Ming was shocked when he saw Wei Ying. Although he knew the relationship between this man and Lu Can, he never expected that this man would have the courage to come and escort the Lu family to Fujian. Just as he was stunned, Wei Ying had already He covered his face with a piece of clothing, turned around and ran towards the pass ahead with the remaining nine blood guards. However, Lu Kang came over and said loudly: "Is that Daxia Ding? Those wearing red scarves on their arms are our own people." Ding. Ming suddenly felt enlightened and followed Wei Ying and others forward. Behind him, dozens of dusty men followed Kuzhuzi, leaving a few people to guard the pass. Others were responsible for monitoring the Forbidden Army and beware of their attacks. , after all, they are already enemies in Shang Weijun's mind.

Ding Ming and Wei Ying had also met before, but he looked down on Wei Ying's past treason, so the two did not have a deep relationship. But now he hurried a few steps to Wei Ying, walked side by side with him, and sighed. He said authentically: "Brother Wei is not afraid of the power of the treacherous prime minister. He is really a close friend of the general. Ding has always offended me many times. Please forgive me for brother Wei." Unexpectedly, Wei Ying remained silent, just glanced at him lightly, and raised his sword. OK, Ding Ming was stunned, not because he was surprised at Wei Ying's rudeness, but because he clearly saw the determination in Wei Ying's cold eyes.

In just a few steps, the two of them rushed to the pass in front. The situation was already critical. Only one of the five Blood Guards left was still fighting bloody battles. The Imperial Army suffered heavy casualties. The generals of the Lu family also suffered heavy casualties. Wei Ying and Ding Ming also suffered heavy casualties. At the same time, he rushed into the enemy group, his sword gleaming, and killed several people before containing the situation. At this time, Cui Xiang, who was commanding the attack on the pass behind those black-clothed masked men, became more and more alarmed. He just heard Wei Ying's pre-arranged shout and knew that Wei Ying was letting him take the opportunity to attack fiercely, so he sent his most elite masters. , but now he is blocked by the first one. What does the first one want to do in this way?

Before Cui Xiang could figure it out, fireworks suddenly flew up from the cliff, followed by laughter like silver bells. Cui Xiang was surprised and looked up, only to see eight or nine people standing on the cliff of the mountain road. Among the ten women, there were old women in Jingchai cloth skirts, middle-aged beautiful women with luxurious appearance, many women in snow clothes in their thirties, and some pretty girls in their eighteen or nineteen years old, but they all She has a cold appearance, a sharp sword hanging from her waist, and is surrounded by women like stars holding the moon. Standing on the cliff is a woman in colorful clothes. She is as beautiful as a fairy.

Cui Xiang immediately understood in his heart that he and others wanted to convince those who came to rescue the Lu family that they were not bait in a trap. Although he still did not understand why the leader wanted to take such a risk, not only sacrificing the Chentang subordinates he led, but also his close friends. The Blood Guards even risked their lives to fight, but Cui Xiang already knew that if he wanted to survive, he should escape at this moment, and quickly ordered a retreat. Before Cui Xiang led the crowd to retreat, he saw the female swordsmen in snow clothes on the cliff all taking out their crossbows and shouting in unison. Three black lights shot towards the opposite cliff, gently and skillfully sinking into the stone wall. Only a faint sound was heard. Ming and others took a closer look and saw that those black lights were actually some specially made crossbow arrows. Once they touched the stone wall, the arrows spread out to form flying grasps and firmly grasped the protruding rocks. The iron grasps cut iron like mud, and they were all deep. Plunging deep into the stone wall, Ding Ming's eyesight was even more revealing that there was a silk thread that was almost invisible to the naked eye floating after those flying grabs. Before Ding Ming could figure it out, the female swordsmen in snow clothes on the cliff had already fallen to the ground along the slanting silk threads. They were as light as falling flowers and fell to the ground silently.

The first few people who jumped down from the cliff swung their swords to kill them as soon as they arrived, stabbing some of the stunned Imperial Guards to the ground. However, Ding Ming was not only proficient in swordsmanship, but also knew military strategy. He gave orders repeatedly to close the defense line and waited until these women were all After descending the cliff, when the road was blocked, Ding Ming had already led his troops to protect the Lu family under the mountain wall, while Wei Ying and his blood guards, who had fought hard for a long time and were exhausted, were also protected behind.

Ling Yu floated down the cliff. He was secretly happy when he saw this, but kept his expression. He stepped forward and said: "This must be the great swordsman Ding Mingding in Wuyue. That day in Qiao Yuan, my second and seventh senior sisters must have died there." Was it by Brother Ding’s sword?”

Ding Ming sighed after hearing this: "I am a beautiful lady, but you are a thief. This must be the master of Ling Sect of Fengyi Sect. Although the master of Brahma Sect did rebellious things in the past, he would not open his eyes to treacherous ministers and harm the loyal. The master of the sect Wouldn’t it be an insult to the teacher to do so?”

Ling Yu's face turned cold and he said: "As long as I kill you all, who else knows what happened today?"

Seeing the murderous intent on Ling Yu's face, Ding Ming sneered and said, "If others don't know, you have to do nothing yourself. Master Ling is deceiving himself and others, but he doesn't know who in the world doesn't know about the scandal of Fengyi Clan attached to Shang Weijun and framed Zhongliang."

Ling Yu was furious and ordered: "Kill them all. I will use their blood to sacrifice the souls of my sisters." Before he finished speaking, Mrs. Lu suddenly screamed from the bottom of the rock wall. Ding Ming and others They were all shocked. When they looked back, they saw Wei Ying holding Lu Ting in his hands and a long sword across Lu Ting's neck. He was surrounded by men in black protecting him. He was confronting the Lu family. Mrs. Lu's hair was disheveled and she was risking her life. He struggled and tried to snatch the child back, but was hugged tightly by the two maids.

Ding Ming didn't care that Ling Yu was in front, pointed his sword at Wei Ying and said sternly: "What are you going to do?"

Wei Ying took off his face towel and said with a cold smile: "Wei sacrificed his life just to lure you into an ambush. Now that he has achieved his goal, he naturally doesn't want to be with you. If you let go, let me lead you." Young Master, if you go out, even if you all die here, you can still save Young Master's life. If not, Wei and the sect master will attack from inside and outside, and even if I die here, you will not survive."

Seeing this, Lu Kang cursed: "Wei Ying, the general treats you with kindness and respect, but you are so heartless. Just now I was grateful to you for risking your life and death to save your wife and son. I didn't expect you to be so cruel. Master Ding, you must not do this." Let him out. If the young master falls on him, he will definitely die. If he keeps the young master, he can be let out."

Hearing this, Ding Ming was deeply convinced and said: "Wei Ying, you are a treasonous person, and now you have betrayed the great general's love. You really deserve to die. In my opinion, I will drag you on the road even if you die, but if you If you are willing to keep the young master, I will temporarily keep your life alive and let you go."

Wei Ying laughed loudly, the long sword in his hand trembled slightly, and blood oozed from Lu Ting's neck. Although he was sick and dazed, he screamed in pain. Mrs. Lu screamed when she saw this, and her head lowered. , actually passed out, Wei Ying suppressed his smile and said coldly: "Wei has good intentions, but he just wants to leave a line of cigarettes for the general. If you want the young master to die with you, you might as well kill him now." he."

Everyone in Ding Ming looked at each other, unable to decide. At this time, Mrs. Lu woke up leisurely, her eyes as bright as clear water, and said sadly: "Master Ding, let him go. Mr. Wei, if you think of the general in any way, don't hurt him." He killed Ting'er."

When Wei Ying saw those eyes full of sadness and sincerity, his heart trembled and he said, "Madam, don't worry. Unless I die, no one will be allowed to hurt the young master." Mrs. Lu nodded slightly and cried with a face. Ding Ming felt sad when he saw this, and finally asked people to get out of the way.

Wei Ying ignored everyone's hateful and contemptuous glances, hugged Lu Ting and walked towards Ling Yu, saying: "Wei has been fighting hard for a long time and wants to go down to rest first. I wonder if the sect master can allow it?"

Ling Yu's eyes flashed and he said: "Do you really want to save this evil bastard?"

Wei Ying's eyes flashed and he whispered: "I saw Jiang Zhe paying homage to the general in Guangling, and I knew that he was really hurt to the bone. If I could keep the Lu family's son, it would be of some use, but the sect owner has already I asked people to kill Lu Feng, but I had no choice but to keep Lu Ting alive."

Ling Yu smiled slightly and finally believed Wei Ying's sincerity and said: "Okay, you go ahead. Thank you for your hard work. I will come back to discuss this matter with you after I kill all these people."

Wei Ying smiled slightly and hugged Lu Ting towards the pass leading to Pucheng. Lu Ting burst into tears and reached out to scratch Wei Ying's face. However, he was weak and weak at the moment and was still young. Wei Ying seemed to be unaware. In the meantime, Wei Ying's figure had disappeared behind the mountain road, and Lu Ting's cry could only be heard faintly.

——————————————

Note 1: Bao Zhao's "The Road Is Difficult"