Turbulent waters churned on the river surface, several figures bobbing up and down.
The first squad leader moved like a water monkey, darting back and forth to dodge the remaining trees.
But the Ninth Princess fared far worse, merely rising and falling with the waves.
Fortunately, Zhu’er knew a bit about swimming and stayed close to protect her, preventing the Ninth Princess from being struck by the trees.
Qin Ming had no such luck. He was battered repeatedly, once even to the head, leaving him dazed as the current swept him towards mid-river.
Seeing this, the first squad leader did not rush to rescue Qin Ming but swam swiftly to the bank instead.
They had fallen not far from shore. With his prowess, the first squad leader reached land quickly.
“Fifth, save them!”
The first squad leader untied the rope from his waist, fastened one end to a nearby tree, and hurled the other into the river.
The nearest escort swam over, fished the rope from the water, and headed straight for Qin Ming.
He lashed the rope to Qin Ming’s arm, then signalled the bank.
The first squad leader pulled hard at once.
The other escorts did not idle either. In that time, they dragged Qin’er and the rest near the rope.
Minutes later, the Ninth Princess and her group finally reached the bank.
By now her robes and hair were soaked through, making her look as dishevelled as could be.
With her feet back on firm ground, the Ninth Princess finally felt a measure of security.
But before they could seek shelter to rest, a jumble of footsteps echoed from afar.
The first squad leader wiped river water from his face, clambered up a nearby tree in a few strides, and paled. “Bad news, river pirates!”
“They dare come back?”
Qin Ming now loathed the pirates to the bone. He drew his sabre from his belt in a flash.
The other three guards did the same.
“How many are there?”
The Ninth Princess gathered her hair and turned to the first squad leader.
“Looks like over thirty.”
The first squad leader replied.
“Then Captain Qin, stand down. Qin’er, Cui’er, deal with them. Make it quick!”
The Ninth Princess said calmly.
“Yes!”
Qin’er and Cui’er assented, each drawing a dagger from her leg, then dashed north.
“There are over thirty of them…”
The first squad leader, perched on the tree, thought the Ninth Princess had misheard and meant to warn again. But the next instant, the words stuck in her throat.
“My heavens, their speed outstrips even A-Mei! Are all girls these days this formidable?”
In prior sparring, the first squad leader had led his men against A-Mei.
His squad of ten veterans had not lasted half a stick of incense under her hand.
A-Mei’s terrifying speed and strength had left a deep mark on him.
Yet now he witnessed even swifter figures.
And they were two seemingly delicate young women too.
Qin’er was a total landlubber. She had nearly drowned earlier and now, safely ashore, nursed a bellyful of fury.
Drawing near the pirates, she exchanged a glance with Cui’er. Together they plunged into the pirate throng.
“Two of you dare court death!”
The lead pirate underling sneered from the front. “Take the…”
His words cut short as Qin’er smirked.
Then the underling saw only blackness, felt chill at his throat, and saw his strength ebb away.
As the first squad leader guessed, Qin’er and Cui’er were experts surpassing even A-Mei. Not a single pirate withstood a single move from them.
Daggers danced in their hands, left and right, slitting throats one after another.
Without checking their handiwork, they sped to the next target.
In under half a minute, the pair carved straight through the pirate band.
Over thirty pirates, and more than half lay dead.
Ordinary pirates facing such foes would have scattered long ago.
But this lot did not. Knowing they were outmatched, eyes brimming with raw fear beneath their masks, not one fled.
Instead they brandished weapons, circled up, and sought to hack the women down with a frenzied blade formation.
Alas, the gap in skill was too vast. Before the pirates could strike, Qin’er and Cui’er attacked first!
After a brief clash, no pirate stood anywhere near.
But just as Qin’er sheathed her dagger, an arrow whistled from the nearby brush.
“Watch out!”
The first squad leader, observing from the tree, could not help shouting.
Yet the next moment, he saw Qin’er tilt slightly, then snap her hand up to snatch the arrow from the air!
“A fish that slipped the net!”
Cui’er snorted coldly and lunged into the brush.
Moments later, she emerged dragging a black-clad man.
He lived, merely stunned, with small cuts at wrists and ankles; clearly his tendons had been severed.
“My heavens, that is too incredible!”
The first squad leader swallowed hard.
Earlier, when Qin’er scorned the hog bladder, he had itched to mock her but held back for the Ninth Princess’s sake.
Now he silently thanked himself for that choice.
A girl outdoing A-Mei was no one he could afford to provoke!
Once, an escort had gossiped behind Qing Mu Lan’s back and been overheard by A-Mei. From then on, in every drill, A-Mei singled him out.
The outcome went without saying. From that day, the man’s face bore no unbruised mark.
Only when following Tie Chui to the capital did he escape A-Mei’s clutches.
Now Qin’er’s robes clung wet with river and blood, her makeup ruined by the water, giving her a ragged look. Yet to the first squad leader, she seemed even more striking than before.
His heart skipped a beat.
Qin’er and Cui’er searched the surroundings once more, confirming no other pirates, then returned to the bank each dragging a captive.
“Your Highness, something is off with these pirates!”
Qin’er tossed her captive to the ground and frowned. “The bandits we met on the way fled faster than anyone when things turned sour. But this lot knew they could not match Cui’er and me, and they were terrified, yet they charged to their deaths anyway!
So I spared two alive. Brother Qin, they are yours. Find out where they hail from!”
“Understood!”
Worried the interrogation might unsettle the Ninth Princess, Qin Ming signalled his men to haul the pair into the woods behind.
The first squad leader leapt down from the tree and followed.
He too wondered where these pirates came from. Spotting Zhen Yuan’s banner and still daring to strike?
Qin’er thought it would take time for results, but soon Qin Ming and the others returned.
Their faces, however, were grim.
The first squad leader trailing behind ground his teeth.
“What is it? Nothing?” Qin’er asked.
“We got it,” Qin Ming said. “They are from Tu’er Slope, river pirates whose families were taken hostage. Forced to assassinate Your Highness!”
“That cannot be right, Captain Qin. Are not river pirates all kinless?” Qin’er asked.
