Chapter 67

Passing by his residence, Ji Yuanhao hurriedly returned home. Though he had no parents, he still had brothers and several young children. He quickly gave a few instructions and issued multiple orders to the intelligence lines inside and outside the region. He and Yang Yanzong had a gut feeling that those people might have left the Yangdu area.

After giving his orders, Ji Yuanhao turned to leave, but Ji Chengtian hurriedly caught up, “Brother, I’m coming too!”

“I’m worried about Sister-in-law and Mu’er.” His concern for Ren and his nephew was genuine. After all, Mrs. Ren had indeed acted as a mother figure, and he had always had a good relationship with his eldest nephew. But alongside his worry for these two, his heart was even more anxious for someone else.

Over the course of a year, Ji Chengtian had changed significantly. Taking on responsibilities and experiencing more made him less naive and mature. He gradually understood his past actions’ impact on his beloved, so he restrained himself from seeking her out. Except this time, he was so shocked and anxious that he couldn’t sit at home and wait.

Ji Yuanhao thought for a moment, “Alright, you can come.” He instructed his trusted aide, Xu Cheng, “Keep an eye on the house. Anyone causing trouble, no matter who, gets thirty lashes and is locked in the woodshed!” He turned and quickly led his trusted guards and Ji Chengtian out.

---

Yang Yanzong and Ji Yuanhao’s instincts were spot on. Both intensified their search along the northern border of Yangdu, digging deep and sparing no effort. Finally, they found a clue on the essential route from the northern border to the northern frontier, the Qu Rong Road.

According to a shop assistant, a small caravan had stopped to buy buns that day. There weren’t many people, but they bought a lot of buns (in this bustling area, shops were plentiful, and people usually bought food as needed, so it was unusual to stock up on dry food, especially in cold weather when hot buns were available). The assistant found it odd and looked up, noticing something peculiar about the caravan. Everyone from the first cart got out, but no one from the second did. The people from the first cart seemed to be guarding the second cart. When the assistant looked up, a gust of wind lifted the curtain of the second cart. Although the driver quickly pulled it back down, the assistant caught a glimpse of a dark purple skirt with a tea-colored edge—Mrs. Ren had worn a dark purple jacket and skirt with a black tea-colored vine pattern that day.

Additionally, the assistant recalled seeing more than one person in the cart. He guessed there were at least two or three and thought he saw a small pointed deerskin boot under the purple skirt. Su Ci always wore short boots in autumn and winter. On the day she returned to Suiping, she wore a new pair of small deerskin boots. Yang Yanzong had seen them himself and clearly remembered the sound of her light footsteps along the corridor.

Yang Yanzong and Ji Yuanhao’s group immediately pursued the lead!

Following the assistant’s clue, they tracked and chased all the way to the northern frontier near Fan Yuan. By then, they were close to the border. They moved quickly, almost arriving at Fan Yuan simultaneously with the caravan. More importantly, they had the emperor’s decree to act as needed. Before leaving Qu Rong Road, they had already ordered a total lockdown of all northern frontier gates, allowing no one to enter or exit.

They cut off the caravan’s escape route. Next, they informed the local authorities and spread out to search. With the gates sealed, the caravan was undoubtedly alerted. They had to act quickly. The search began immediately, both openly and covertly. Unfortunately, the trail went cold at Fan Yuan. The caravan seemed to sense something and quickly changed vehicles and disguises, disappearing. What they could confirm was that the caravan was likely hiding in Fan Yuan. But Fan Yuan was vast, with three cities, seventeen towns, countless villages, and bustling areas near the gates, making the search extremely challenging. But no matter how difficult, they had to find them immediately.

After finally getting some clues, Yang Yanzong, Ji Yuanhao, and their team suppressed their anxiety, gathered their energy, and put all their efforts into the search, both openly and covertly.

---

Compared to Yang Yanzong’s side, which had finally found some leads, the atmosphere in the Northern Rong was much more oppressive and heavy. After seven or eight days of eating cold buns and dumplings, Su Ci felt she was getting closer to the northern frontier. What made things worse was that the Northern Rong spies who had ambushed her and fallen into the river had joined forces with the group of fishmongers led by “Boss Peng.” Actually, Boss Peng and his men were no longer fishmongers; they had transformed into merchants. The Northern Rong spy network was extensive. To deal with the three unexpected captives, they had likely mobilized spies who had been undercover for years.

Su Ci was still thinking about various things when the cart’s curtain was lifted. A somewhat familiar face peeked in, looked at them, nodded in satisfaction, and pointed specifically at Su Ci: “This woman is very cunning. Keep a close eye on her.”

Su Ci: “…” She remembered him as the Northern Rong man she had thrown dirt at.

However, these damn Northern Rong people didn’t get to be smug for long because they soon received news that the border gates were sealed!

Not only the government but also the public was abuzz with talk about Northern Rong spies. It was said that these damn spies had ambushed high-ranking officials’ convoys in Yangdu and kidnapped several family members, leading to the temporary closure of the border gates. A reward of a thousand gold pieces was offered for any useful information!

The outside was in an uproar. Not only were the gates sealed, but checkpoints were also set up inside and outside the city for thorough searches. Fortunately, the spies had been cautious and hadn’t rushed to cross the border. They were currently hiding in a rural village, not in the center of Fan Yuan.

“What do we do? The gates are locked!”

“If this continues, the thorough search will reach here in a few days.”

“Should we leave?”

“Don’t rush. Sometimes staying put is better. Gaihun, go contact the bases in Guxiang, Huijin, and Shizuishan. See how things are there. Also, check the situation in the city…”

Boss Peng pushed open a door, stared outside for a while, and gave low-voiced instructions.

They spoke in Northern Rong language, which was fast and incomprehensible to Su Ci. Fortunately, young Ji Mu’s studies included some basic Northern Rong language. He listened carefully by the wall and then quietly repeated what he heard.

As Su Ci had guessed, “No, we need to find a way to escape quickly.”

It was their second day in this small woodshed. They had spent a whole day rubbing off the cloth gag and the ropes binding their hands, finally managing to free themselves with each other’s help.

Su Ci listened carefully. Outside the woodshed was a courtyard with quite a few guards. She glanced around and then listened to the other side of the wall, signaling Ji Mu and Mrs. Ren to help her. Mrs. Ren kept watch, pressing against the wall and listening intently while nervously keeping an eye on them.

Young Ji Mu squatted in a horse stance, and Su Ci climbed onto his back, standing on tiptoe to reach the small window at the top. Sure enough, outside was the main street!

The courtyard was narrow, just over a meter wide. Most buildings here had a courtyard added outside the main gate, but this house was right on the street, so the courtyard was just a narrow strip. Farm tools and miscellaneous items were piled against the wall, and beyond the wall was the street. The small window Su Ci was looking through was just a bit higher than the wall, giving her a view of the street.

It seemed to be a small town, not very prosperous. The street wasn’t crowded, with a few carts and people carrying loads, typical of an afternoon. The woodshed was next to the main house, and the main gate was about ten meters to the left. Two Northern Rong guards with knives stood in front of the main house.

She couldn’t shout. If she did, people outside would know something was wrong, but before Yang Yanzong and his men could arrive, they would likely be moved. In a critical moment, they might even be killed. How could they create an opportunity to escape?

An idea came to Su Ci. She signaled Mrs. Ren to find some handy, small but heavy pieces of wood, preferably stones.

Mrs. Ren quickly rummaged through the woodpile, finding two hefty pieces of wood. At the bottom, blocking a mouse hole, she found two fist-sized round stones and handed them to Su Ci.

The woodshed was dark, and the three of them were in a sorry state. Their clothes were wet and had dried on them, their hair was disheveled, and young Ji Mu, still growing and thin, had been holding Su Ci on his back for a long time. His face was red from the effort, but he didn’t complain, standing half-bent.

Mrs. Ren, worried about her son, could only pat his head. Ji Mu nodded firmly, assuring his mother he was fine. Mrs. Ren nodded back and quickly returned to the door to listen carefully.

Su Ci lay by the small window for a long time, long enough for her feet to start hurting. After that damn Northern Rong man had warned Boss Peng, the latter had twisted their feet, not too hard but enough to sprain them. Even though Su Ci knew some medicine, they hadn’t fully healed yet.

Despite the pain, her patience paid off!

She saw a middle-aged man with a hawk and two large black dogs leading the way, followed by a dozen servants and bodyguards, coming out of a restaurant at the end of the street—her main target had always been this restaurant.

This man was clearly a local bully. The young shopkeeper eagerly saw him off, and passersby quickly avoided him and his barking dogs. He swaggered in her direction.

Su Ci held her breath, eyes fixed on the man while keeping an eye on the gate about ten meters to her left. Finally, the man got closer, within her attack range, and the guard at the gate facing her bent down to adjust his boot!

“Smack! Smack!!” Su Ci’s aim was quick and precise. She threw a fist-sized stone, followed by another, hitting the man on the forehead and eye socket with great force! Blood immediately appeared on his forehead, and he screamed, clutching his wound. Another stone nearly hit his left eye, but he dodged just in time.

Damn it!!! The man roared in anger, “Who is it? Come out, are you looking for death?!!!”

With a loud crash, the courtyard gate was kicked open—the group of strong bodyguards and two fierce dogs charged in, barking and causing chaos. The main house was instantly in turmoil.

Most of the people in the courtyard ran towards the commotion. Although the local bully’s men were numerous, the Northern Rong spies were not afraid. The problem was that they were spies, and this was an essential hideout for hostages. Initially confused, they rushed forward, only to be met with a slap and a spit in the face. The two fierce dogs started biting people like mad. Boss Peng barely held back his anger and asked what was going on.

“How dare you ask!” Another slap!

The front was in chaos, and the backyard was mostly empty, with only one guard left at the woodshed door. He frowned and looked towards the main house, not noticing the old woodshed door quietly opening a crack and a pair of hands reaching out.

The courtyard guards felt secure because the women and children were still tied up, and the woodshed door was locked with a thick iron chain and a brass lock. The key was with Boss Peng. But Su Ci was quite talented and knew a bit about picking locks.

After getting down from Ji Mu’s back, she quickly picked up the two wooden boards and grass rope Mrs. Ren had found and made a splint for her left ankle. Mrs. Ren and Ji Mu did the same. Su Ci kicked her shoe, and a small blade popped out from the toe. It wasn’t big, as the shoe sole was limited in thickness. This was a sudden idea she had, and Yang Yanzong had someone make it for her. It was detachable, a tiny dagger-shaped blade, about the length of a middle finger and two fingers wide.

Su Ci removed the blade and quickly took a filigree silver hairpin from Mrs. Ren’s head. Using the blade, she cut off a piece of silver wire.

In high school, Su Ci had a phase where she liked to arrive early. Several classmates did the same. The classroom door had an old brass lock, and one boy would use a long thin wire to pick it open so they could sit inside. Curious, Su Ci watched several times and eagerly asked to learn. The boy, finding her pretty and interesting, was happy to teach her, patiently explaining the tricks and demonstrating various lock-picking methods. Back in school, the lock-picking duo didn’t get away with it for long before a teacher caught them, scolded them, and called their parents. Anyway, who would’ve thought that this little skill, picked up out of sheer boredom, would come in handy one day? As the saying goes, “No skill is wasted.”

Su Ci carefully and silently opened the door, reaching through the gap to insert the silver wire into the lock. Behind her, Mrs. Ren and Ji Mu held large wooden sticks, holding their breath in anticipation.

It took Su Ci about three or four seconds to find the right spot. She waited for the dogs to start barking loudly and then decisively pushed down. With a faint “click,” the brass lock fell into her hand. She handed it back, and they quietly removed the chain. The woodshed door silently swung open. Sensing something was off, the guard turned to look, only to be struck on the back of the head with a heavy stick. Su Ci pounced like a leopard, stabbing the guard in the throat with her small blade before he could shout.

Ji Mu held him down, covering his mouth and catching the falling knife with his body. The three of them quickly dragged the guard inside, closed the door, and ran towards the courtyard wall. Their hearts pounded as they avoided the back door, which was visible from the main house. They reached the side of the woodshed, where seven or eight bundles of wood were conveniently stacked, perfect for climbing. They quickly climbed up, helping each other, and jumped over the wall.

Su Ci winced as she landed on her left foot but immediately started running. Unfortunately, their first escape attempt wasn’t smooth. As they jumped over the wall, someone from the main house peeked out, noticed the missing guard, and kicked open the woodshed door.

“Not good, they’ve escaped!!”

In the chaos, Boss Peng beheaded the local bully with a single stroke.

“You’re dead!” With a bang, the door closed, and the Northern Rong spies, having had enough, killed the two dogs and the dozen bodyguards.

Boss Peng led the chase.

Su Ci and the others dashed, reaching the end of the alley. She turned sharply and shouted to a woman carrying dishes, “We’re the high officials’ family! Go to Fan Yuan City and report this!!” Her voice was loud and urgent, but the woman smashed the dishes on the ground and lunged at her with a dagger!

What the heck!

Su Ci dodged back, and luckily, Ji Mu reacted quickly, kicking the woman in the chest and knocking her down.

Damn it, Su Ci pulled him back, and they continued running. They didn’t know how many hideouts were in the town, but doors kept slamming open, and more people joined the chase.

They had already passed seven or eight households. Once, they cleverly crawled through a dog hole and almost lost their pursuers, only to be discovered again by a spy who suddenly opened a door ahead. Su Ci was furious, cursing under her breath.

They had to abandon the idea of mobilizing the townspeople. Running so fast, they couldn’t rally anyone. They stumbled along, not knowing which direction they were heading, running for nearly half an hour before reaching the market on the west side of the town. Su Ci, panting heavily, frowned and looked up to see a set of old clothes hanging under the eaves. She jumped up and grabbed them.

Ahead was the livestock market, where many people and animals were present. The end of the market connected to the main road, increasing their chances of escape. But the problem was—Su Ci looked down at their clothes. Although dirty, their clothes were of higher quality than ordinary villagers’ and very brightly colored, making them stand out. Running into the market like this would be worse than running through the alleys. But they only had one set of clothes and no time to find another.

Along the way, Su Ci had considered jumping over walls into people’s courtyards, but the walls here were built high, and her foot hurt, making it impossible to climb.

Yes, Su Ci’s foot was hurting more and more. She was the main target, and Boss Peng had injured her the most. Her sprained foot was the worst, and despite the splint, she was gradually feeling exhausted.

Su Ci sensed that she might not escape this time. In front of her was the livestock market, and in her hand was a set of old farmer’s clothes. Mrs. Ren and Ji Mu, one of them had to escape.

“Who will wear these?!” Her foot throbbed with pain, and she gritted her teeth.

Without hesitation, Mrs. Ren gave the best chance of escape to her son. She took the clothes and put them on him, “Mu’er, you wear them, quickly!”

Ji Mu’s eyes reddened, “Mother!”

“Stop talking, now is not the time!” Mrs. Ren said sternly, and Ji Mu fell silent, his lips trembling. He and his mother quickly put on the half-wet clothes.

Mrs. Ren touched her son’s face. Her son was already taller than her. There was no time for more words. Her eyes reddened, and she finally said, “Be careful. Do you remember what Aunt Yang said?”

Su Ci, anxiously keeping watch, quickly gave instructions. Her foot hurt badly, greatly reducing her chances of escape, so she gave the opportunity to someone else, but that didn’t mean she was giving up on herself.

She and Mrs. Ren would likely be recaptured, making Ji Mu’s mission to report crucial. “Remember, don’t panic, don’t rush. Even if they catch you, they won’t kill you!”

“They will likely head towards Da Huang and Feng Chuan next,” Su Ci overheard while pretending to be unconscious and listening to the discussions outside the carriage. Da Huang and Feng Chuan were their backup routes. “They will probably pass through a place called Luomazhou and cross the river.”

Ji Mu’s escape was also what she had in mind. Although only fourteen, Ji Mu had martial arts training and was agile. He had the best chance of escaping successfully.

“You have to be quick. If you’re quick, they’ll have to be quick too!”

Ji Mu nodded vigorously. Mrs. Ren pushed him, and he quickly ran into the market. His half-black, old clothes, and dusty hair helped him blend in with the crowd.

While enduring the pain, Su Ci held Mrs. Ren’s hand, and they turned to run down another alley!

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In Fan Yuan, at the largest inn near the south gate.

Yang Yanzong and Ji Yuanhao were searching when they suddenly received news that Ji Mu had been found. They immediately turned back and rode quickly to the location.

Ji Mu’s hair and face were still covered in dirt. Remembering his mother’s kind and concerned face as he looked back one last time, the usually stubborn boy couldn’t help but tear up. Covering his mouth, he clearly repeated Su Ci’s instructions.

“Mother and Aunt Yang are very likely…” Not just likely, but almost certainly, they had been recaptured. Ji Mu had only been gone for a few moments when he heard the commotion. Looking back, he saw Boss Peng leading people in pursuit of Su Ci and Mrs. Ren. But he could only grit his teeth and leave in pain.

Ji Mu cried uncontrollably, feeling utterly useless for not being able to protect his mother.

Ji Yuanhao closed his eyes, overwhelmed with fatigue and worry. When he opened them again, he saw his eldest son crying. Taking a deep breath, he scolded, “Why are you crying? Wipe those tears away!”

“We’ll rescue your mother right now!!”

Ji Mu knew his father hated seeing men act like women, so he quickly wiped his tears.

Yang Yanzong was in a panic. They had escaped once but were recaptured. How could that be good?!

Without a word, he leaped out, mounted his horse, and rode off. The group hurriedly searched the town, only to find it empty!

He kicked the door, sending it flying in his anxious rage. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. He couldn’t panic; his Ci’er was still waiting for him. They had finally found a crucial clue.

Don’t rush, don’t panic!

Opening his eyes, exhausted and anxious, his eyes bloodshot, Yang Yanzong’s mind was clear. “Da Huang, Feng Chuan.”

“Withdraw everyone and head towards Da Huang and Feng Chuan,” he ordered. “Don’t make the search and blockade too tight. Don’t focus solely on Da Huang and Feng Chuan. Turn all visible searches into covert ones!”

As for heading towards Da Huang and Feng Chuan, he would go personally.

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Yang Yanzong’s judgment proved to be accurate. The Northern Rong people, fleeing the town, had considered killing their captives in the tense environment. But after passing several checkpoints, they gradually relaxed. The pursuers hadn’t pinpointed their exact direction, giving Boss Peng and his men a moment of relief.

“Hurry, get to Feng Chuan as quickly as possible.”

Once in Feng Chuan, they had a way to cross the border.

Boss Peng asked, “What about those two women?”

“They’re still very sick, Boss. Should we get a doctor?”

After being recaptured, Su Ci and Mrs. Ren were kicked hard in the chest, causing severe pain, and they weren’t given food for two days. If the captors weren’t in a hurry to escape, they would have suffered even more. They were drugged again and thrown into a cart.

Su Ci woke up groggy after a day. This wouldn’t do. Although she had sent Ji Mu to report, she never gave up on self-rescue. Otherwise, if rescue didn’t come, they’d be doomed!

She had a slight fever from her ankle injury, so she decided to feign illness. Skilled in medicine, she could easily worsen her fever. Her fair skin turned red when feverish, making her condition look severe. This would prevent further injury to her ankle. She checked her foot, which had a slight ligament strain but no bone damage and would heal on its own.

Mrs. Ren, on the other hand, had a genuine high fever. She couldn’t fake it, and one of them had to be genuinely ill to make their situation look dire.

In late September, almost October, Mrs. Ren had Su Ci pour cold water on her. Mrs. Ren smiled and said, “Don’t worry, at worst, you can carry me and run!”

Su Ci nodded firmly. Mrs. Ren wore her wet clothes overnight, and she had a high fever by the next day.

Two women, with injured feet and faces flushed with fever, looked half-dead, greatly reducing the Northern Rong’s vigilance. Of course, they were still cautious. Boss Peng placed them in the innermost part of the standard room, cursing a few times, and then had a doctor called. These were important hostages and couldn’t die before crossing the border. The doctor came, frowned, treated their feet, and prescribed medicine, saying they needed at least half a month of rest to recover, or their lives could be at risk. He made it sound severe, and Su Ci was genuinely grateful. So, they got better treatment and could at least sleep in a bed. With such careful planning, Su Ci finally found a second chance to escape!

One night, they were staying in a ruined temple. Just after being placed in the back room of the undamaged earthen temple, more people arrived.

Boss Peng frowned and took most of his men to the front. The newcomers were likely enemies, making everyone very cautious. Peeking through the tattered curtain, Su Ci saw eleven or twelve masked men talking to Boss Peng. Their attire reminded her of the skilled fighters who had appeared by the Yongji River.

Outside, the tension was high. Though the newcomers were only eleven or twelve, they made the dozens of Northern Rong men extremely wary. The two guards near Su Ci also drew their swords and went outside.

During the standoff, Mrs. Ren suddenly convulsed and vomited the medicine, startling the remaining guard. Was there something wrong with the medicine?!

Mrs. Ren convulsed once and suddenly stopped, alarming the guard, who quickly bent down to check her pulse.

At that moment, Mrs. Ren suddenly grabbed his head, pressing his mouth and head tightly against her chest with all her strength!

Su Ci leaped up, picked up a brick she had prepared, and smashed it against the back of his head!

Usually, such a weathered brick wouldn’t be lethal, so Boss Peng and his men didn’t consider it a weapon. But Su Ci aimed precisely at his brainstem, hitting hard and fast. The brick shattered, and the man collapsed.

The brainstem is the body’s control center, and a blow to this vulnerable spot knocked him out instantly. Su Ci and Ren held his mouth and neck tightly, and soon, he was dead. The two women helped each other climb out of the broken back window and ran hand in hand!

Su Ci was in better shape; her fever wasn’t high, and her ankle was healing. With adrenaline pumping, she ignored the discomfort and sprinted!

Mrs. Ren, however, was struggling. Her fever was high, and she wasn’t skilled in martial arts. After running for a while, she slowed down. Su Ci supported her, rushing into a reed field, hoping to find a small boat.

Pursuers were already on their trail!

After running a few hundred meters, they heard a commotion from the temple, including hoofbeats and the clash of weapons.

Su Ci hoped it was their rescuers. But realistically, she thought it was more likely reinforcements for the two groups. Boss Peng’s “caravan” had been picking up people along the way, and she had lost hope after several encounters. She finally found a small boat and was overjoyed. As she bent down to untie it, she heard the sound of wind behind her. She dodged, and a dagger stabbed into the boat, making a hole. Su Ci kicked, pulled out the dagger, and stabbed the attacker!

Another person charged at Su Ci with a knife. Mrs. Ren, using all her strength, tackled him. The man tried to stab back but was knocked over by Su Ci’s headbutt!

Su Ci, skilled in martial arts, managed to hold her ground with her unique techniques, even tricking and defeating two attackers. But as time passed, she began to falter. More footsteps approached, and Mrs. Ren was grabbed by the neck and stabbed!

Mrs. Ren was in immediate danger. Su Ci, gritting her teeth, abandoned the fallen attacker and charged, narrowly saving Mrs. Ren!

The dying Northern Rong man, throat slashed but not dead, grabbed a short dagger and stabbed Su Ci!

A dying person’s final strike is fierce, and Su Ci, exhausted and lying on the ground, is stabbed in the abdomen. The dagger went deep with a “thud.”

Su Ci kicked him away, picked up another fallen dagger, and with Mrs. Ren holding the last Northern Rong man, Su Ci climbed onto his back and stabbed repeatedly. She stabbed over ten times until he was dead.

The will to survive is indescribable. Two feverish, weakened women managed to kill three healthier, stronger Northern Rong men. But they were also injured. Mrs. Ren had knife wounds on her arm and thigh, bleeding heavily. Su Ci had a dagger in her abdomen, and neither dared to pull it out.

Stumbling, Mrs. Ren pushed the small boat to the river, half-carried Su Ci aboard, pushed the boat into the water, and then climbed in herself. Using all her strength, she pushed the boat from the shore, and it quickly drifted downstream!

The pursuers, indeed Northern Rong men, cursed and shouted, “Quick, find a boat! Chase them!”

They had to find the women before Yang and Ji’s reinforcements arrived!