22 (Thanks for the Buddha's 3 uncles, the leader of the alliance)
Deep in the forest of Hongshan Mountain, far away from the Qinghe Palace, a small group of thin soldiers wearing tattered leather armor and cotton uniforms dispersed quietly.
They were like ants crawling silently along the forest floor, twenty of them in total.
Each one was holding a machete, a dagger, and even a hatchet. They were all rusty, broken weapons that had not been maintained.
There were two people taking the lead.
A man with a knife scar on his chin and a tall and muscular figure was the leader of the bandits transformed by the rebel army, Huang Jude.
He is thirty-two years old. He has been practicing Iron Tiger Kung Fu since he was a child. After reaching the limit of martial arts, he was dissatisfied with the oppression of the Lingting Court and rebelled against dozens of people from his hometown. He gathered together the down-and-out military households and villagers to form an army.
Unfortunately, the Lingting military force at this time was extremely powerful.
It was not possible for half-hearted people like them who lacked weapons and equipment to win. After a collision, the rebel army collapsed.
Fleeing all the way, Huang Jude led his people across a full area of Lufu territory before arriving at Pingyu Road.
Next to Huang Jude was Sima Guangtu, the second leader of this remnant army.
Sima Guangtu was over fifty years old, with a white face and long beard, blue eyes, thick eyebrows and a high nose. He was completely of overseas Huxi descent.
In fact, he is indeed a Husi.
Previously, Lingting attacked all directions and plundered all the craftsmen wherever they went and brought them back to the country. He was one of them.
Seeing Huang Jude's uprising, Sima Guangtu thought he could take the opportunity to escape from the sea of suffering, but he didn't expect...
"Sima, you are old, experienced and have a lot of ideas. Keep an eye on me these days. This job can only succeed and not fail!" Huang Jude rubbed his palms and sighed upwards.
"As long as the people in the Dao Palace cooperate well, this task will not be difficult. We just need to be alert to sneak attacks by officers and soldiers from other directions." Sima Guangtu said very skillfully.
"Okay, last time we had a small fight with the officers and soldiers, and the last good thing was lost. We must not miss again this time." Huang Jude said.
This time, among the twenty men he dispatched, he had one person of the fourth rank, two of the second rank, five of the first rank, and the rest were ordinary soldiers.
In addition, although the grades have been assessed before, everyone's physical fitness has declined a lot due to being tired and hungry after being exposed to cold and hunger for a long time.
But it's still no problem to deal with a few little kids in a siege.
The main focus is still on the third-grade Xiao Rong. It depends on whether Xiao Rong's eldest disciple can do anything.
As long as the sneak attack is successful, and they cooperate to press forward, Xiao Rong will definitely not be able to escape in the end.
"Okay, let's mark the area near here and go back to find a resting place first and come back in the evening." After Huang Jude determined the location, he turned around and led everyone back.
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rumble.
Rolling thunder spread from the evening sky, from near to far, instantly crossing the Qinghe Palace and rushing into the distance.
The slowly accumulating clouds make it difficult to tell whether the dim light is due to darkness or gathering clouds.
Xiao Qingying sat in front of the window of her room, looking at the peach trees growing windingly along the corridor outside, her pretty face slightly melancholy.
Ever since her entourage disappeared the day before yesterday, she has been grounded by her father and is not allowed to go out.
There was new follower Zhang Rongfang following him outside the door, and senior sister Zhao Dacong was watching outside.
With her barely trained martial arts, it would be impossible to rush out.
"Sigh...I don't know how Xiaoran is doing now...?"
Xiaoran was the nickname of her former follower. Although Xiao Qingying was a bit willful at times, she could still tell the difference between right and wrong.
Xiaoran probably had an accident because of her, so she knew this very well.
A cool breeze blows into the room outside the window.
Suddenly, a withered leaf flew across the window sill and landed on the table in front of her.
"Huh?" Xiao Qingying took a closer look and saw that it was not a leaf at all, but a piece of paper folded to look like a leaf.
She gently held the note, looked around cautiously, then stood up and closed the window.
Xiao Qingying unfolded the note as a little daylight came in through the remnants of the window film.
‘Xiao Yingqi: I have been out investigating Xiao Ran’s disappearance these days and I have some clues. Remember to be careful about the people around you.
I have other urgent matters, so I can’t tell you in the letter. At three o’clock in the night, we can meet at the Shengxian Bridge at Shanmen.’
"It's brother Wuyou's handwriting!" Xiao Qingying looked happy when she saw the letter.
She didn't believe that Chen Wuyou had the intention to harm her. He had so many tender embraces and sweet promises before. If he didn't really like her, why would he spend so much time and energy on her?
"At three o'clock in the morning?" Xiao Qingying always felt that brother Wuyou was wronged and the real bad guy behind it was probably someone else.
She didn't think about it any further.
Looking at the letter paper on the table, Xiao Qingying carefully picked it up and put it in her purse.
Without looking at it, she folded it up small.
'It just depends on the timing of the night.'
Brother Wuyou must have found out some key points, so he approached her for easy reporting.
rumble.
The sky became thicker and darker. The crackling thunder and lightning suddenly illuminated the entire bedroom.
Time passes slowly, I don’t know how long it has passed.
Late at night, Hai hour.
Xiao Qingying, who was lying on her back and resting, slowly opened her eyes and looked towards the window.
Lightning flashed outside the window and thunder rolled.
'It's almost time...it's time to go.'
Xiao Qingying slowly got off the bed, quickly put on various clothes, and finally picked up a small package that had already been collected.
Click.
The lightning and thunder sounded again.
Xiao Qingying put on her boots and quietly came to the door.
Outside the room is a semi-open corridor.
At this time, big drops of rain fell on the corridor, falling with the wind.
Xiao Qingying felt a little nervous when she looked at the weather, but her admiration and trust in brother Wuyou made her suppress the fear in her heart.
With a creak, the sound was completely obscured by the thunder.
After leaving the room, Xiao Qingying walked lightly and trotted quickly into the corridor.
Walking along the corridor, you will soon reach a large area of ordinary disciple rooms where the handyman disciples live.
Not long after, Xiao Qingying came to the area in front of Daogong alone after passing through alleys.
Shengxian Bridge is also located here.
At this time, Chen Wuyou is waiting here quietly, waiting for Xiao Qingying to arrive.
At night, the wind was strong and the raindrops were strong. The strong wind blew the branches and leaves of the trees in the Taoist Palace to sway violently, like a laughing monster.
The light coming from the main hall, Xuanxin Hall, reflects the changing light and shadow of the surrounding small buildings.
Xiao Qingying trotted quickly towards the Shengxian Bridge near the mountain gate.
She must see her brother as soon as possible, otherwise the situation will not be good if the person caring for her finds out.
If her father discovers her secret meeting with Brother Wuyou again, she may be grounded for even longer time.
She ran to the Shengxian Bridge in one breath and stood by the bridge opening. Xiao Qingying looked a little scared when she saw that there was no one on duty and the dark bridge was empty.
"Brother Wuyou?"
She called out softly.
Unfortunately, the wind was so loud and the raindrops hit the ground loudly that her voice could not travel very far.
On the Shengxian Bridge, apart from her, there were only the Taoist priests on duty at the mountain gate in the distance, and the flickering lights in the gatehouse of the mountain gate.
"Brother? Where are you? I'm out?" Xiao Qingying called softly.
She looked around and saw no one in front of her.
The wind and rain gradually became heavier, the thunder became louder and louder, and the moonlight at night was completely obscured.
Xiao Qingying looked around, and suddenly she saw a person leaning in the darkness in the bridge cave.
"Brother Wuyou." She hurriedly approached there.
puff.
The man was suddenly blown slightly by the wind.
When she ran closer and saw it, it turned out to be a tattered raincoat held up by wooden sticks.
Xiao Qingying looked disappointed and was about to turn around and walk back.
"Come out quietly from the mountain gate. I'll wait for you at the door. Hurry, don't be discovered, there are bad guys watching you!" Suddenly Chen Wuyou's voice came to her ears.
"Brother Wuyou!?" Xiao Qingying was immediately happy, knowing that the brother Wuyou she liked was indeed waiting here.
She immediately ran towards the mountain gate without hesitation.
Outside the mountain gate, in the dense forest on both sides, four or five dark figures were lurking quietly, waiting for Chen Wuyou to give a signal.
Chen Wuyou had already stood by the gatekeeper at the mountain gate, holding a black umbrella in his hand, and glanced at the welcoming Taoist priest who had fallen asleep.
Everything is ready.
He looked at Xiao Qingying trotting towards him quickly in the rain.
A relaxed smile appeared on his face.
The person in the wind and rain was like a little black butterfly, flying towards him...
Suddenly, a black shadow rushed out from behind and hit the little butterfly head-on.
puff.
The little butterfly broke its wings halfway and fell to the ground.
"Um??"
Chen Wuyou was stunned for a moment, then saw Xiao Qingying being picked up by the man and running away.
He was anxious and wanted to catch up, but at this time he and Xiao Qingying were more than twenty meters apart, so it was impossible for him to catch up in time.
Xiao Qingying herself was beaten until she was in a daze and disoriented.
Just now, she suddenly felt a trip under her feet and fainted.
I don't know how much time passed until she came back to her senses.
He was leaning into a warm and hard embrace.
"Senior Sister Xiao? Are you okay?" A familiar voice penetrated into her ears.
Xiao Qingying trembled all over and almost screamed.
But she suddenly realized that the voice was Zhang Rongfang who had been following her in front of her room?
Holding back the pain in the back of her neck and head, she wiped the rainwater and hair off her face and looked carefully.
Sure enough, the person carrying her back at this time was Zhang Rongfang, whom her father sent to protect her.
"Why did you show up suddenly? You scared me to death!?" Xiao Qingying's chest kept rising and falling rapidly, and her pretty face turned pale.
"What happened to me just now?" She looked confused.
Zhang Rongfang shook his head and said nothing.
He noticed something was wrong just now, and after careful observation, he discovered that Xiao Qingying had actually sneaked out.
I originally thought that with such bad weather, cold, heavy rain, and strong winds, I should be able to have a good sleep. Unfortunately, Senior Sister Xiao really did not make people worry.
"Senior Sister Xiao, what do you want to do when you are hanging out so late?" Zhang Rongfang looked around. Apart from them, there was no one in the area for dozens of meters.
Didn't this little girl just want to run away secretly?
His eyes became slightly dangerous.
Before he could figure out a way to get away from Xiao Rong and his daughter, even if he didn't want to, Xiao Rong had given the order and had to come forward to protect Xiao Qingying.
If something goes wrong with Xiao Qingying now, he will definitely be held jointly and severally responsible.
At that time, unless he can abandon his Taoist status, injure people around him, escape from Qinghe Palace, and then be wanted, otherwise he must protect this guy...
"Can't I come out to relax?! Do you want to take care of it?" Xiao Qingying was frightened, her pretty face turned pale immediately, and she said angrily.
"Senior sister, please be considerate. If something goes wrong with you, master might beat me to death. For your and my safety, Rongfang has to follow closely. I'm sorry." Zhang Rongfang explained seriously.
"Actually, you don't have to do this. If my father asks, I can take the initiative to tell him that I want to go out and relax. I promise that I won't implicate you." Xiao Qingying answered equally seriously.
"Sorry, senior sister." Zhang Rongfang remained unmoved.
This girl almost rushed out of the mountain gate just now. Anyone who believes this is a fool.
"And senior sister, you were lying on the ground for a while just now. I realized something was wrong later, so I searched all the way and found you on the ground. Otherwise, it's such a cold day, with wind and rain... it would be troublesome if the wind and cold entered the body.
."
Zhang Rongfang sighed.
"I... seemed to have been beaten just now?" Xiao Qingying touched the back of her head. The weather was too cold, and the area was only aching slightly now.
"Ah?? Who dares to sneak up on our Qinghe Palace? If not, we have to go back and check to see if there is anything serious."
Zhang Rongfang suddenly said nervously.
"Senior sister, did you see clearly the person who hit you??"
"No...I'm...a little dizzy..." Xiao Qingying moaned slightly.