The bodyguard had already considered the veterans’ crossbows when he charged down. As Da Liu and the others pulled their triggers, he flung himself to the ground.
All the veterans’ arrows missed.
In the next second, the bodyguard leaped up and continued charging.
At that moment, A Mei, who had been prepared, soared into the air with a side kick, striking the bodyguard squarely in the chest.
The bodyguard had not expected there to be another expert among Jin Feng’s group. Caught off guard, he was sent flying backward.
“It’s over!”
The bodyguard’s pupils contracted involuntarily.
In clashes between experts, victory or defeat often hinged on a single instant.
In that moment of flying backward, the bodyguard knew he had lost.
Sure enough, as he flew back, the veterans raised their crossbows once more.
Arrows whistled toward him. The bodyguard, suspended in mid-air with no leverage, could only swing his long saber desperately to block.
Unfortunately, the saber could only protect his upper body. His left leg was still struck by an arrow.
Eighty percent of his skills relied on his legs. With one leg unusable, his strength was immediately greatly diminished.
Upon landing, he staggered involuntarily.
By then, the veterans’ second volley had arrived.
The bodyguard had no time to react and was struck in the neck by one of the arrows!
Gurgle! Gurgle!…
The bodyguard clutched his neck and collapsed face-up on the ground.
On the other side, the fisherman had already dragged the small boat into the river.
Before A Lan and her group arrived, Zhou Wen Yuan had clambered into the boat’s cabin.
The fisherman swiftly rowed the small boat to the center of the river.
A Lan reached the riverbank and raised her crossbow at the fisherman, but ultimately did not pull the trigger.
Jin Feng had said they could not kill civilians lightly, or they would face severe punishment.
In the time she hesitated, the fisherman had crouched below the gunwale, leaving no chance to shoot.
The river’s current was not slow, and the small boat soon drifted out of crossbow range. Only then did the fisherman dare to poke his head out.
Zhou Wen Yuan watched A Lan and the others receding into the distance and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“Damn it, he still got away!”
Jin Feng also arrived at the riverbank with his men and sighed unwillingly.
But no matter how unwilling, there was no way around it. Without a boat, they could not pursue.
“Sir, he is definitely heading back to the capital. Otherwise, shall I take a few men and wait for him outside the capital?”
Da Liu was also extremely unwilling.
“You probably would not come back either.”
Although Jin Feng was somewhat tempted, he ultimately shook his head.
“The army secretly supported by the Zhou family outnumbers even our Qing family. There are several branches in Guanzhong alone. Zhou Wen Yuan will surely seek their help.”
Qing Mu Lan glanced at Da Liu: “Da Liu, you had better abandon that idea right away.”
“This time we have thoroughly made an enemy of the Zhou family. It seems I need to start laying out my plans as soon as possible.”
Jin Feng gazed at the river surface, but his thoughts had flown to the capital.
His plan leaned toward steady, step-by-step consolidation. First, solidify the rear in the Jinchuan and Guangyuan area, then consider advancing to the capital.
That way, even if something happened, he would not be entirely without foundation.
Unfortunately, Zhou Wen Yuan’s appearance had completely disrupted his plans.
It was almost certain that the Zhou family would target him next, and he had no one in the capital to send word, making him no different from a blind man.
But the capital was full of big shots, and the waters were too deep. How to lay out plans there left Jin Feng stumped.
The warhorses were all ruined, and night was falling. It was too late to return to Guangyuan.
Jin Feng’s group could only tidy up the wooden cabin and stay there temporarily.
Fortunately, the saddlebags on the warhorses contained rations, so they did not have to worry about going hungry.
“Da Liu, by my calculations, Liang Ge should arrive in Guangyuan today. Knowing we went to chase someone, he will surely follow. Go wait on the official road and make sure he does not miss us.”
After dinner, Jin Feng called Da Liu over: “Come back at midnight.”
Jin Feng’s guess was correct. They had just left Guangyuan through the east gate when Zhang Liang led the main force in through the south gate.
Upon learning Jin Feng had taken men to pursue Zhou Wen Yuan, he immediately set out to follow.
But knowing it was a dozen men chasing two, Zhang Liang was not in such a hurry and only arrived here around midnight.
The next day, Jin Feng requisitioned several of Zhang Liang’s warhorses. Taking Qing Mu Lan, A Mei, a few others, and the bodyguard’s body, they returned to Guangyuan first.
The warhorses from Xihe Bay were already in short supply, and now over a dozen had been worked to death. Jin Feng felt heartbroken.
The journey that took half a day outbound took nearly a full day to return, before they finally saw Guangyuan city.
And the slender figure standing anxiously below the city walls.
Ever since Jin Feng left the city, Tang Xiaobei had felt uneasy. She had waited at the city gate all day yesterday and come again early this morning.
Seeing Jin Feng and the others return, she was as happy as a child and ran over from afar to greet them.
“Sir… you are finally back!”
Running up to Jin Feng’s horse, she looked up and said: “I thought I would not see you again today.”
“Look at you, sweating all over from running.”
Jin Feng extended his hand: “Come up.”
After all, the two had already been almost completely intimate, so there was nothing left to avoid.
Hearing this, Tang Xiaobei smiled until her eyes curved like little boats. She reached out to grasp Jin Feng’s hand, stepped on the stirrup, and sat in his lap.
“Sir, I want to go to the capital…”
Not far into the journey, Tang Xiaobei suddenly spoke up.
“Why do you suddenly want to go to the capital?” Jin Feng asked.
“Soap does not sell that well in Guangyuan for now. Zhou Wen Yuan was so obsessed with it, which shows that soap must be very popular in the capital too.”
Tang Xiaobei said: “I want to sell soap in the capital. There are so many rich people there, it will surely sell big.”
“Sell soap in the capital?”
Jin Feng’s heart stirred involuntarily.
He had been considering whether to lay out plans in the capital yesterday but had no ideas.
Today, Tang Xiaobei’s suggestion suddenly enlightened him.
Right, he could use soap to pave the way!
This way, he could make money and also plant his own eyes and ears in the capital!
It was simply killing two birds with one stone.
“Xiaobei, you are so clever. Why did I not think of that?”
Jin Feng reached out and pinched Tang Xiaobei’s cheek.
Although Tang Xiaobei had long since set her heart on Jin Feng and loved these affectionate gestures, she still felt shy in front of so many people.
“Hate you…”
Tang Xiaobei twisted a bit and playfully pinched Jin Feng’s arm lightly.
“You two, that is enough. In public, can you not mind the influence a little?”
Qing Mu Lan could not stand watching anymore.
Tang Xiaobei stuck out her tongue and asked softly: “So, does that mean you agree to let me go to the capital, sir?”
“No.” Jin Feng shook his head: “Zhou Wen Yuan must hate us to death right now. Would you not be deliberately provoking him by going to the capital?”
“That makes sense.”
Tang Xiaobei nodded: “Then who do you plan to send, sir?”
“This…”
Jin Feng was also somewhat troubled.
No matter who went, as long as they sold soap in the capital, the Zhou family would surely target them.
Who could withstand the Zhou family?
At this thought, Jin Feng turned to look at Qing Mu Lan, who had been caught off guard by a mouthful of dog food and was still secretly pursing her lips.
