Chapter 139
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Chu Qiao looked at her and said, “Do you think you can do it?”
“Of course.” Zhao Chun’er laughed proudly. “Of course I can! Do you know where we are? Let me tell you, we are in an underground chamber beneath Rose Square. Soon, there will be a pile of firewood on the square. You will be tied to a pillar and burnt to death alive. What can you do about it? Do you think Li Ce can save you? Dream on. He won’t be coming here, someone will contain him. If Yan Xun knows that you were burnt to death by the North Camp in Tang, how will he react? He loves you so much. Will he seek revenge on Tang with his army? Will he travel down the northern border along the river to wage war on Tang? Will he pit himself against the entire world despite knowing that it’s suicidal?
“Haha!” Zhao Chun’er’s eyes let out a maniacal gleam. Dreamily, she said, “I will resort to everything to deal with all of you. For that day, I will tolerate everything, even humiliation and torture. This is just so I can see the day that all of you collapse! All of you ruined my life. I will make it 1,000 times, 10,000 times worse for all of you! Do you hate me? Did you regret saving me the other day? Do you want to bang your head against the wall? What can you do about it now? You can be kind, you can make all the men in the world fall for you, but so what? You’re going to die in my hands anyway. What’s going on? Why are you breaking out in cold sweat? Are you scared? Do you know what is fear? Why aren’t you crying? Why aren’t you shouting for help? Maybe Yan Xun would be able to hear your last words on the highlands of Yan Bei! Haha…”
Suddenly, her voice stopped and her pupils dilated. One hand grabbed her face with frightening speed, dislocating her jaw with a twist!
Chu Qiao threw away the ropes which had bound her. Given the way she was tied up, she could have escaped from 20 ropes in three minutes. She stood up and looked at Zhao Chun’er who had fallen on the ground. She squatted down slowly, saying, “You’re right. I regret it. I regret why I saved you out of kindness back then. However, I don’t hold meaningless grudges. If I know that I have made a mistake, I will rectify it immediately.”
The woman’s face was cold, but the look in her eyes was calm. She tore Zhao Chun’er’s clothes apart, saying coldly, “You have judged me wrong. I do not kill the innocent, but I am not a kind person either. If you threaten me, I will not hold back. Do you think you scared me? Do you think that you have succeeded? Do you think that with these little tricks, you can scheme against Yan Xun and I? Destroy us? You’re too naive and you overestimate yourself. In this world, there are numerous people who are after our heads. We don’t care if you want it too. I don’t know if the person who will take my life has been born yet, but what I know is, that person will not be you.”
Zhao Chun’er opened her mouth to shout for help but was unable to do so.
Chu Qiao stripped Zhao Chun’er of her clothes, swapped their outfits, and messed up her hair. She took out the white cloth on her forehead, looked at her, and uttered word by word, “Zhao Chun’er, admit it. You are a piece of trash! You are no match for me. It was like this back then, and will remain like this now, and forever. You shouldn’t have provoked me. That’s because you are too delicate. You don’t have the right to!” Finishing her sentence, Chu Qiao clenched her fists, and punched Zhao Chun’er in the face!
Grunting sounds erupted from Zhao Chun’er’s throat. Chu Qiao struck out slowly but with force. In an instant, blood oozed out from Zhao Chun’er’s nose and mouth, causing her face to be indistinguishable. Zhao Chun’er was no longer able to speak. Only panting sounds could be heard from her, like a chicken who had lost in a fight. She collapsed weakly on the ground, her hair covering her bloodied face like a fish out of water.
She saw Chu Qiao stand up, cleaning the blood stains off her hands. She put on her yellow outfit, messed up her hair, and wiped her face with her hands. She knelt on the floor, face full of blood. Posing as the princess, she shouted, “Men! Prepare the carriage!”
Big groups of soldiers dashed into the chamber. Chu Qiao covered her face with her bloodied hands and pointed at Zhao Chun’er, shouting, “She dared to attack me! Kill her! Burn her to death!”
Zhao Chun’er was lying on the ground, unable to move. She was dressed in Chu Qiao’s bloodied clothes. Her face was indistinguishable, and her jaw had been dislocated. The boorish soldiers picked her up. As she pa.s.sed by Chu Qiao, she looked back and saw the sharp look in her eyes.
Chu Qiao smiled and whispered, “I will not send you off.”
A group of people took Zhao Chun’er away. Chu Qiao ordered, “I’m injured. Take me back to the palace!”
The winds continued its a.s.sault on the lands. Dark clouds began to form while the branches and leaves flew in the air. A gigantic pile of firewood had been erected on the vast Rose Square. The winds blew onto her face. Chu Qiao covered her face and sat on the carriage, which swiftly departed from the scene. She turned back and looked at her enemy fading away. The sky was dark and the clouds hovered low above the sky. The air was stale. The winds scattered the trees and stones about, zooming past the carriage and letting out a low howl along the way. The trees shook vigorously, about to cave in from the winds. It was noon, but the sun was nowhere to be seen. All of Tang Jing was shrouded in a blanket of grey. A bout of torrential rain was imminent.
The carriage was fast, aided by its operator. The soldiers rode their horses and followed the carriage as it made its way swiftly along the track near to the city gates.
The wind caused some sand and stone to slap against the carriage, making rustling sounds. Chu Qiao’s hands were stained with blood. She used the white cloth to cover up her face. She scanned her surroundings, waiting for the best opportunity to escape. She had to find Yan Xun immediately. She estimated that he had not entered the city, but would do so later in the day. Perhaps, he was already waiting outside the city. If the news reached him, there would be unimaginable consequences. Although Zhao Chun’er was foolish and stupid, she made a point. She and Yan Xun were dependent on each other; they were each other’s Achilles heels.
As for Li Ce, she did not believe that he would fall into anyone’s trap easily. After all, he was a cunning fox. Even if something happened, she trusted that he was able to turn the tables around.
The sounds of horses’ hooves broke the silence in the long street. With the winds, sand and stone, the street appeared even colder.
As the horse carriage was about to make its way into the main street that led to the inner city, Chu Qiao decisively thought that this was the best moment to escape. She gritted her teeth and felt for her dagger which was hidden under her calf, awaiting her chance.
However, at this instant, a swoosh disrupted the synchronized horse hoof sounds. Sharp arrows struck the horses! The warhorses’ cries of agony sounded out. In that instant, the Xia troops were flung off their horses, adding to the chaos. a.s.sa.s.sins from both sides leaped from the trees and walls onto the ground, carrying their daggers and crossbows. They were unstoppable. The Xia troops had no time to resist. Half of them were injured as they fell off their horses. The army of 300 instantly disintegrated.
“Heaven is helping me!” Chu Qiao thought to herself in joy. It looked like Zhao Chun’er had many enemies too. She would be foolish not to grab such a good opportunity.
She leapt off the horse carriage swiftly to make her escape. As she prepared to sneak off, two men in black appeared from both sides. Chu Qiao gritted her teeth. It looked like their target was Zhao Chun’er, the doomed princess. She twisted her body and dashed forward to fight them.
Chu Qiao leapt in the air and kicked out at the lower bodies of the two men with both her legs. With a thud, ear-piercing cries of agony sounded out around the long street. Chu Qiao did not have any time to turn back and appreciate her mini victory. Taking into account that they were Zhao Chun’er’s enemies too, she gave them mercy. However, having taken a kick to the nuts, she was not sure if they would still be able to function like normal men.
There was a murderous aura everywhere. The men in black were ruthless, not intending to leave anyone alive. They held axes in their hands, chopping at any living souls. Bloodstains and white brain juices splattered everywhere. Ruthless indeed!
Chu Qiao squinted her eyes. Summoning all her strength, she ran towards the main street. She did not believe that these people would openly commit these crimes on the main street.
The opponent seemed to recognize her intention. Suddenly, a black shadow appeared behind her. It was fast. The unknown a.s.sailant’s agility rivaled that of Chu Qiao’s. The a.s.sailant inched forward, dashing to within five or six steps of her, running beside her. As the a.s.sailant ran, he drew his crossbow and shot an arrow towards her!
At this instant, Chu Qiao’s face was covered by the white cloth, her face stained with blood. Her hair was messily scattered in front of her forehead, like a lunatic. However, this did not disrupt her movements and sight. Seeing the arrow flying towards her calf, she grabbed a section of the wall, leaping into the air.
With a snap, the arrow broke into two upon hitting the wall. The person’s strength was evident.
Good skills! Chu Qiao looked at the man from the side of her eye. The man was undeterred, taking out another arrow.
Chu Qiao sneered and reached towards her pocket, shouting, “Hidden weapon!”
Chu Qiao was drained after the battle with the North Camp. At the critical moment, she summoned her last bit of strength. Her voice was hoa.r.s.e and indistinguishable. However, in that moment of life and death, the man heard her. The black shadow reacted quickly, twisting his body to avoid any threats despite there being no hidden weapons.
Chu Qiao gained some distance between them. The man grunted indignantly, continuing his pursuit.
This place was remote, full of small streets and alleyways. Chu Qiao ignored the shadow that was following her, navigating her way through the small alleys. However, in an instant, she sensed that something was amiss. The opponent’s reactions were too fast. He matched her speed. As she turned, the man behaved like a robot, not requiring any reaction time to detect her change in direction. Their movements were synchronized. What mattered most was that this man did not let out a sound!
Who exactly had this idiot, Zhao Chun’er, offended?
Chu Qiao was enraged. A big tree blocked off the center of the road. Chu Qiao squinted her eyes and dashed towards the tree, stopping in her tracks suddenly and hiding behind it. Based on logical deductions, no one would stop in this unprepared manner. However agile the other person was, when he stopped, it would be in front of Chu Qiao. Antic.i.p.ating this outcome, Chu Qiao held a dagger in her hand, ready to strike.