Chapter 4

It was a bolt from the blue!

Su Ci’s scissors paused, and the cotton rope snapped with a “pop.”

Yang Yanzong’s sharp gaze immediately swept over, “What’s wrong?”

His tone was relatively mild, considering he was speaking to his own people and not outsiders, but it still lacked much warmth. The indifferent voice and sharp gaze were very oppressive, and just being stared at by him was enough to make one’s back tense up.

Su Ci felt immense pressure, swallowed, and whispered, “…Nothing, nothing. I’m just a bit scared. There are so many of them.”

“No need to panic.”

Yang Yanzong succinctly said four words, turned his head, and continued instructing A’ Zhao, and asked A’ Kang to call Su Di over as well.

Su Ci stiffly responded, feeling bitter inside.

You might not know, but the original owner’s old lover is also here. Of course, she didn’t dare to say that. What to do?

Su Ci had actually already figured out what Yang Yanzong wanted to do. Liang Shen wanted to take the opportunity to kill him and make a contribution, while the latter also wanted to counter-kill the former. Yang Yanzong’s target was the 800 soldiers and thousands of town soldiers.

These people were all ambitious schemers. After successfully withdrawing from the drought area, they certainly wouldn’t think about going into hiding. They urgently needed a brilliant return to demonstrate their value, hoping to return to their former core circles. So Liang Shen had been looking for Yang Yanzong. This chaotic drought was also a good opportunity. As soon as the migration plan was set, Liang Shen immediately had the intention to kill. He wanted to take this opportunity to completely kill and solve the troublesome Yang Yanzong, the confidant of the Sixth Prince, who had brought countless troubles to their Fourth Prince’s Mansion!

And Yang Yanzong’s target was the thousands of town soldiers of the entire large force. This military town was not large but had a special location, connecting the past and the future. It originally belonged to the Seventh Prince’s forces. If successfully taken, it would become the first node and springboard for their side to invade the western line of the Northern Frontier Army. The short-term alliance between the Fourth and Seventh Princes would immediately collapse without a fight.

As long as Yang Yanzong kills Liang Shen, Zhang Mou, and other leaders and takes control of these 3,000 town soldiers, the Sixth Prince will surely find a way to restore the original personnel of this military town to their previous positions upon returning. Both sides were eyeing each other like tigers. The real reason Yang Yanzong had not strayed far from the main force was this. Once he had new leverage, he would immediately turn from passive to active.

One hundred against three thousand, what an ambitious man!

Su Ci had just been a bit slow to realize this, so she didn’t bother asking any pointless questions. It would have been useless anyway.

Su Ci: “…”

Although Yang Yanzong said, “No need to panic,” Su Ci was not comforted at all. She was very flustered. Oh my, she was about to meet the “two wolves” combination!

What to do?!

Life is full of surprises, and after going around in circles, she ended up back here?!

On the surface, Su Ci remained quite calm. Apart from the initial snapping of the cotton rope, she didn’t show any other signs of distress. She checked the securing effect, put everything back in the box, and silently picked up her basket and left as Su Di and the others arrived one after another.

“What’s the matter? What were you doing?”

Su Ci put down the basket and squatted under the shade of a tree, resting her chin in her hands. Others couldn’t tell, but Su Yan, who knew her well, immediately saw the worry behind her calm exterior.

With a bitter expression, Su Ci took the large wooden bowl handed over by Su Yan. She glanced around and then whispered the whole story. She didn’t mention the wolves, as she didn’t know Liang Shen. Instead, she explained the backstory of why everyone was curious about the sudden appearance of the nephew of the Third Prince at this time.

—

Su Yan was instantly shocked: “How could you do this? How could you be so foolish?!”

Private exchanges, especially when there’s an engagement, are unacceptable. She quickly glanced at Yang Yanzong, and the sight of his cold profile sent a shiver down her spine: “He doesn’t know, right? Who else knows?”

Su Yan was terrified. The younger generation of their two families were all very wary of Yang Yanzong. They weren’t familiar with him, and his deeds, experiences, position, and shrewdness were far beyond their league.

Su Yan wanted to grab her sister by the collar and shake her, shouting, “Sister, what on earth were you thinking?!”

But in reality, she only dared to lower her voice, anxiously questioning in a volume that only the two of them could hear.

Su Ci, looking pained, said, “No, no one else knows. Just the two of us. Even our parents don’t know.”

Thank goodness, thank goodness.

But before Su Yan could breathe a sigh of relief, Su Ci dropped another bombshell, “Yang Yanzong has already ordered the main force to come over. It won’t be long before the two sides meet.”

“…”

The two sisters squatted under the shade of the tree, scratching their heads in worry. Even the water chestnut and meat stew in the large bowl didn’t taste good anymore. They couldn’t think of any good solutions.

Finally, Su Yan held Su Ci’s hand: “Don’t worry, we’re all together. With so many people, he might not find you!” She patted Su Ci’s back, “Sister will protect you! Ah Ci, don’t be afraid.”

“But you must not have any more contact with that person.”

That man surely wouldn’t dare to make a fuss. If he could hide, it would be best if he couldn’t be found.

“Mm-hmm!”

Su Yan’s grip was a bit strong, making Su Ci’s back hurt a little, but the slightly sweaty embrace was very warm.

In the original book, when the female lead talked with a friendly lady, the latter commented on Su Yan, saying she was “reckless and active, unlike a woman,” with a tone of disdain. This was also the book’s evaluation of Su Yan. But in reality, Su Yan saw herself as a boy. Their mother had no sons, and the sisters had no brothers, so she considered herself a boy. From a young age, she followed their father, diligently practicing martial arts—swords, spears, halberds, horseback riding, and archery. While other girls were embroidering and playing the zither, she was sweating under the scorching sun, protecting her mother and sister. Before the family incident, she even said she wanted to go to war with their father, hoping to support the main family.

Seen from a different perspective, it was completely different.

Su Ci obediently agreed, but she was very worried inside. However, there was no better solution at the moment, so she could only resort to hiding.

…

This meeting happened much faster than expected.

Liang Shen’s side had already suspected something and didn’t even need to incite anything. Yang Yanzong had slightly revealed some exact whereabouts, and by that evening, a group of over a hundred fast horses suddenly appeared in sight. They had just found a suitable campsite, and as soon as they heard the sound of hooves, everyone immediately stood up. The personal soldiers quickly spread out, taking positions among the trees, rocks, and dry grass on the hillside, forming a semi-circular formation that could attack or retreat.

Su Ci quickly took the opportunity to blend in, standing behind a large tree near the edge of the group.

Yang Yanzong sat motionless on his horse, calmly watching the distant billowing dust.

The sound of hooves came quickly, and soon, Su Ci could see the leading figures of the horse team. They were strong and imposing, exuding a menacing aura. The leader was a middle-aged black-faced general with thick eyebrows and fierce eyes. The heat was so intense that he wasn’t wearing armor. Like Yang Yanzong, he wore a black, tight-fitting outfit with leather wrist guards, his eyes sharp and uncomfortable to look at.

The two sides hadn’t torn their faces yet, at least on the surface, and the other side didn’t bring many people. Otherwise, Yang Yanzong wouldn’t have let them get close.

The leading general reined in his horse, quickly scanning the opposite side, his gaze returning to Yang Yanzong’s face. He sneered, “Surname Yang, leaving the army without permission can be considered desertion.”

Yang Yanzong coldly laughed, “I haven’t taken up my post yet.” He casually flicked his whip. Reporting in and being registered was considered the completion of the transfer. Neither Yang Yanzong nor Su Di and the others had been at the military town for a few days and hadn’t reported to the town yet. Who were they fooling?

The two sides were engaging in verbal sparring, testing each other’s depths. Meanwhile, a young man in dark red clothes, standing at the far left of Liang Shen’s row, was constantly looking around.

When Su Ci made eye contact with this person, she quickly sidestepped to hide behind a nearby soldier. She understood now. The black-faced middle-aged general speaking with Yang Yanzong was none other than Yang Yanzong’s arch-enemy, surnamed Liang, the rapist. And the young man in dark red clothes was the lover who had a secret relationship with the original owner. With both “wolves” appearing simultaneously, Su Ci held her breath, quickly adjusted her position, pulled down her cloth helmet to half-cover her face, and lowered her head.

Before setting out, Su Ci had specially brought a set of soldier’s cloth armor, which she had managed to obtain with great difficulty. She smeared her entire face and hands with mud and dust, looking just as grimy as the soldiers around her.

Yang Yanzong had fought in the southwest in his early years, and many of his trusted soldiers were from the southwest—short, thin, and agile. Su Ci blended in without standing out. In such an environment, she dared not be alone.

The young man’s gaze first fell on the Chen family, carefully identifying them. Not seeing Su Ci, he anxiously scanned the soldiers, catching Liang Shen’s attention. While speaking, Liang Shen also began to subtly assess the soldiers’ morale.

Two pairs of eyes swept over like radar, making Su Ci’s heart race.

Fortunately, the conversation between Xu Shen, Zhang Mou, and Yang Yanzong was brief. After some probing, both sides achieved their goals.

Finally, Zhang Mou said, “It’s better to return to the team,” to which Yang Yanzong calmly replied, “I know what I’m doing.” Then, the two sides parted ways.

The former pulled the reins, turned around, and led his men away in a cloud of dust, while Yang Yanzong immediately ordered a move to another campsite.

They finally left!

Su Ci wiped her face and exchanged a glance with Su Yan. The sisters both let out a long breath. This first brief but nerve-wracking encounter was finally over. But it wasn’t the end yet.

——–

At the large army camp of the military town.

Liang Shen had actually guessed it long ago. He, who had been entangled with Yang Yanzong for many years, had very keen senses, and the key should lie with the inner household.

Liang Shen squinted his eyes: “It must be those little girls from the Su family.”

Life for the large army was not easy. Entering the mountains was the best choice, but the water carts couldn’t go, and they had to abandon them on the first day at the outskirts. All the cow and sheep skins in the town were made into water bags overnight, but it was still a drop in the bucket.

This migration route was not easy to walk!

Food and water are the sources of life. This was also the fundamental reason he made a special trip today.

Yang Yanzong really had a trump card!

He had to kill Yang Yanzong to gain merit and seek credit. A tiger fallen to the plains, when else to take his life if not when he is sick?!

But at the same time, he had to ensure he got hold of this trump card first.

The hundred or so personal soldiers around Yang Yanzong had followed him for many years. If they had this special skill, they would have been promoted long ago. The two had been entangled for many years and were very familiar with each other.

It couldn’t be Su Di and the Yang brothers either. By the process of elimination, even if it seemed impossible, it pointed directly to the truth!

Zhang Mou was surprised: “Impossible, right? A little girl, capable of such a feat?”

Liang Shen was resolute: “It must be!”

Now the question was, what to do?

Liang Shen squinted his eyes, the night shrouding his eyelashes in a thick layer, making his features look even sharper. After a moment, he waved his hand, and his confidant immediately stepped forward. He gave his instructions in this manner.

…

Su Ci thus became the center of the conflict. A large net silently spread towards her, the trump card, and on the other side was the lecherous and sinister rapist, Liang Shen.

Yang Yanzong had also guessed it. Or rather, this was part of his plan.

The bonfire blazed. By the time they found a suitable campsite, it was completely dark. Su Ci was cleaning and bandaging the wounds of Yang Yanzong and her father when she suddenly heard Yang Yanzong say calmly, “Next, Liang Shen will surely try to capture the person skilled in finding water and food.”

During the day, Yang Yanzong and Liang Shen quietly observed each other. Even though Liang Shen’s side had prepared meticulously in advance, Yang Yanzong still keenly noticed that some of the cavalry behind Liang Shen had slightly dry and chapped lips, and some people at the back were unconsciously licking their lips. The difference between dehydrated and those who were not was still noticeable.

Su Ci: “…”

It was a bolt from the blue, one wave after another!

But before Su Ci could speak, Yang Yanzong opened his eyes and glanced at her, who had widened her eyes in surprise. He said, “Why the rush?”

Su Ci blinked, “Big brother, what do you mean?”

He meant it literally. Su Ci had medical skills and survival abilities, especially the latter, which were crucial at the moment. Even from a normal perspective, Yang Yanzong would definitely protect her and wouldn’t push her into danger.

So, Yang Yanzong said, “The bait needs to be changed.”

Does this mean someone will impersonate Su Ci?

Su Yan, who had come along to help her sister, immediately raised her hand without hesitation. Protecting her sister was her responsibility.

Su Ci pulled her back, disagreeing, “Sister!”

Su Yan said nothing, shaking off Su Ci’s hand. As the sisters were pulling at each other, just as Su Yan broke free and raised her hand, a female voice suddenly sounded behind them.

“I’ll do it!”

The voice was very familiar, less gentle and graceful than usual, but more calm and decisive. It was Su Rong. She stepped forward without hesitation and responded, her voice softening slightly as she bowed gracefully and said in a low voice, “Young Master, Second Sister is not suitable. Let me do it.”

Su Rong was volunteering herself. Su Ci turned around in surprise, and Su Rong stood behind her, bowing. Yang Yanzong had already agreed, “Okay.”

He glanced at Su Rong indifferently and made the decision directly.

Su Ci: “…”

She scanned behind her from top to bottom. When did this person get here???

Yang Yanzong and the others were discussing matters, and outsiders couldn’t easily approach. Su Rong, Aunt Bai, and the other women usually sat quite far away.

Yang Yanzong was sitting in front of Su Ci. From his angle, he must have clearly seen Su Rong walking over from the bonfire, but he didn’t stop her at all. It was evident that he had intended this all along.

Let Su Rong be Su Ci’s substitute.

Moreover, his indifferent eyes were emotionless, as if he was just arranging an ordinary matter.

Oh my, the plot hasn’t even really started, and the male and female leads are already at each other’s throats?

Su Ci wanted to speak, but Su Yan pulled her back.

Su Ci turned around, and her sister gave her a fierce glare. From Su Yan’s perspective, this was the best outcome. Standing in her position, she would naturally prioritize her own sister. It wasn’t that she forced Su Rong; Su Rong volunteered herself.

Moreover, being in the same team, one must contribute when needed, right?  You can’t just do nothing and expect others to protect you.

Su Yan had always treated herself like a man, so she found this reasoning perfectly natural.

Su Yan pinched Su Ci hard, and Su Ci almost cried out in pain. Oh sister, you misunderstood, she wasn’t planning to object, okay?

Fine, fine, she wouldn’t say anything, alright?

Su Ci rolled her eyes slightly. When she turned back, she exchanged a glance with Su Rong, and they both smiled at each other.

Su Ci smiled, raised her eyebrows slightly, and continued cutting the cotton rope.

Alright, her sister was right about one thing: Su Rong volunteered herself, didn’t she?

One new problem solved, yay!

Next, she just hoped that the chances of meeting the other side would be as few as possible, preferably none, so she could smoothly get through this.