Tigers Sniff the Rose - Chapter 163

Chapter 163

The naval battle for Guangzhou had begun.

King Ale led the troops himself. He boasted that his cavalry was ferocious and peerless on land, and that the Southern Barbarian forces could not be broken by the Great Wei. However, once on the water, his soldiers—who had spent their lives riding and shooting on solid ground—were unaccustomed to naval warfare, and their effectiveness plummeted.

This gave Guangzhou a chance to fight back.

Yet, how could King Ale be an ordinary man?

He had led armies for many years and maintained strict discipline. If his soldiers were not skilled at naval combat, they would practice until they were. If those who were ill could not cope, they were discarded; if a position could not be taken, he would trade life for life.

However, after King Ale started the naval campaign, he began to regret it.

His original intention in this battle was to take advantage of Guangzhou’s lack of preparation to capture the Princess Danyang of Great Wei, and then use her as leverage to force a retreat from the Jiannan front. If Yan Shang refused to retreat, King Ale would take Mu Wanyao’s life as a warning. But upon arriving in Guangzhou, he found the reality quite different from his expectations.

Firstly, his troops were not adept at naval warfare; secondly, Mu Wanyao had been prepared, and Guangzhou had been prepared.

Guangzhou was not easily conquered.

But King Ale had already come this far; how could he turn back? If he retreated, it would invite ridicule, to say nothing of the grain and military strength consumed along the way. Without the Great Wei army paying for these losses, this massive depletion was something King Ale could not afford.

King Ale already felt that this year’s war against Great Wei was not as easy as he had previously imagined. He had intended Guangzhou to be a short-term surprise attack, but in reality, Guangzhou had become a quagmire that dragged him down.

The Battle of Guangzhou had become a war of attrition.

King Ale reorganized his ranks and adjusted his strategy—since he had reached this point, no matter how difficult, he had to carry out his initial idea of capturing Mu Wanyao.

As long as he captured Guangzhou, or even just Mu Wanyao, he could recoup the losses suffered by the Southern Barbarians in this war!

Meanwhile, Mu Wanyao realized that King Ale refused to retreat even though he could not take the city, and she had to consider other contingencies. Guangzhou’s naval defense was holding for now, but the strength of her soldiers was inferior to the Southern Barbarians. After observing the battle for several days, she realized that if King Ale continued his strategy of trading life for life, Guangzhou would soon fall.

She had to think further ahead.

For instance, how to defend the city once the waterways were breached. Guangzhou did not need to be undefeated; it only needed to tie down the Southern Barbarians to provide a buffer for the other two main battlefields.

Mu Wanyao began to order the reinforcement of the city walls.

With the soldiers out fighting, the civilians within the city were all mobilized to add an extra layer of crenelated walls (parapets) to the existing city walls for protection. The method chosen for this defense was the "offset gate" construction.

The meaning of "offset gate" is that the inner city gate and the outer city gate do not align directly. Even if the enemy captured the outer gate, they would still need to make a wide detour to find the corresponding inner gate before they could continue the assault. This lack of symmetry between the inner and outer gates prevented enemy archers from firing directly through the gates and added significant difficulty to the siege.

At the same time, Mu Wanyao studied the topographic maps with her generals. She discovered that the city gates included land access points and water gates used for the transit of goods. Generally, gates leading to the mainland were heavily guarded and difficult for the enemy to attack. Although the water gates were equipped with iron grates to prevent stealth attacks, they remained the weakest points in their defense.

Mu Wanyao ordered: "Block all six water gates with stone."

A general asked: "Pardon?"

Mu Wanyao: "Since this area is inherently weak, it is better to abandon it. We shall seal these six gates and reallocate the troops to more critical locations."

After a month of naval warfare, the generals had developed a clear understanding of this Princess who never took no for an answer. Mu Wanyao’s beauty was captivating, but her heart was even colder and more ruthless.

If not for her persistent supervision and her insistence that they drill day and night, Guangzhou would never have been able to withstand the ferocious Southern Barbarian forces. Now, no one dared to underestimate the Princess. The generals looked to Mu Wanyao as their backbone and came to her for instructions on every matter. For a princess of the realm to hold a city, it was only fitting that she be the leader.

At the same time, Mu Wanyao and her husband, Yan Shang, who was in Jiannan, maintained an unbroken line of communication, exchanging updates on the progress of their respective fronts—

Yan Shang was extremely worried that Guangzhou would face difficulties in the defense, but Mu Wanyao was full of confidence, telling him not to worry.

Mu Wanyao, conversely, felt that Yan Shang’s situation was more difficult: "The Southern Barbarian cavalry is strong, and the Great Wei forces are weak. Because they are poor, they cannot retreat; instead, they will charge forward relentlessly. Even with you and Yang Si there, the Jiannan battlefield will be very grueling. Furthermore, Meng Zaishi’s tactical acumen is extraordinary; he is treacherous and full of ambition. You must be careful."

Yan Shang urged: "Guangzhou was never meant to be a battlefield. If you are in trouble, you must tell me. I have heard that King Ale is a hero among the Southern Barbarians, and even Meng Zaishi respects his leadership. You must be cautious..."

Mu Wanyao responded nonchalantly: "My husband, you are mistaken. War and defending a city are not the same thing. Even if they capture the waterways, it does not mean they can capture Guangzhou. Warfare requires military might, but to defend a city, all one needs are people."

Yan Shang wrote again: "With you defending the city, I am at ease. I only wish to warn you that, based on my observations of the Jiannan conflict, you must pay attention to two things. Once the enemy captures a city, the first thing they do is set fires; the second is to violate the women. Women suffer the most in city warfare; you must protect them."

Mu Wanyao replied: "I understand. Thank you, Second Brother, for the warning. I was originally only afraid of the phenomenon of cannibalism. Is it already that severe on your side, Second Brother? You must be in great pain."

Yan Shang’s next letter did not answer whether he was in pain: "No matter what..."

Mu Wanyao: "No matter what, military force establishes prestige, and war is a fight to the death."

Once war begins, there is no turning back, and one cannot harbor despair. It must be a fight to the death; there is no room for luck—

Two months into the Battle of Guangzhou, the Southern Barbarians were fixated on capturing the waterways.

On the Jiannan front, the strength of both sides was deadlocked. Just as Mu Wanyao had anticipated, once King Ale left, the Jiannan battlefield was fully overseen by Meng Zaishi. Lacking a single supreme commander, the Southern Barbarian forces actually grew stronger. But naturally, after half a year of familiarizing themselves with Yang Si, the Great Wei soldiers had begun to develop a rapport, and their effectiveness had also improved.

Whether Great Wei or the Southern Barbarians, both had entered their most formidable period.

Meng Zaishi did not necessarily care about defeating Great Wei; his ultimate goal remained killing King Ale and negotiating a truce with Great Wei. But regardless of his long-term plans, Meng Zaishi knew that he had to win the Jiannan battlefield.

To negotiate, one must have the strength to dictate terms. He did not care about King Ale’s life or the situation in Hexi; in Jiannan, Meng Zaishi vowed to kill Yang Si to establish his authority. A general in the making like Yang Si was a threat to him now and would remain one in the future.

He wanted to eliminate this threat before the opponent could fully mature.

As it happened, Yang Si felt the same way about him. Even if Great Wei was to negotiate with the Southern Barbarians, the leader of the Southern Barbarians should ideally not be a man like Meng Zaishi.

As the new year approached, Great Wei was engulfed in the flames of war. No one was in the mood to celebrate; the people were simply praying for the war to end in the coming year.

Even in Chang’an, with the Hexi front above and the Jiannan front below, the capital was caught in the middle. The Emperor felt the existential threat day and night. In particular, the constant struggle between the scholars and the eunuchs in the court over control of the war left the Emperor unable to mediate, leaving him exhausted.

Consequently, the Emperor grew impatient, demanding to know when the war would end.

When the Emperor pressured Jiannan, it was Yan Shang who blocked it. The Emperor would point fingers every day, overstepping his bounds, asking why they weren't fighting, why it wasn't over, whether Yan Shang had ulterior motives, and why there was no progress on the Jiannan front.

The pressure from the central government was suffocating.

But because Yan Shang was shielding them, the soldiers in Jiannan only had to worry about fighting; they did not need to cope with the imperial court.

Compared to Jiannan, the Hexi front did not have such luck. After all, Hexi was too close to Chang’an, whereas Jiannan’s terrain was treacherous. Had the Southern Barbarians not coveted Jiannan, it would not have been a strategic battlefield. Hexi, however, had open terrain, making it an ideal battlefield for the Southern Barbarians.

The Hexi battlefield had been in a stalemate, but after the arrival of Minister Liu, they gained support from the backbone of the court and were more confident in fighting.

However, following the Emperor’s overstepping commands regarding Hexi, the battlefield there began to fall into chaos.

Liu Wenji continuously relayed the Emperor’s orders to Hexi: "His Majesty asks why you have not yet launched an attack after resting for several days?"

Minister Liu replied that it had snowed and the soldiers needed rest.

Liu Wenji said: "It is snowing in Hexi, and things are difficult for you, but the attacking Southern Barbarians are also having a difficult time. Since it is hard for both sides, you only need to be stronger than them. His Majesty has ordered you to advance."

Minister Liu’s face turned livid: "This is not a good time for an attack!"

The imperial envoy sent by Liu Wenji smiled: "It is His Majesty who wishes to negotiate, and it is you who insist on fighting. His Majesty appreciates your heroic spirit and patriotism, so he has consented to your war. His Majesty has mobilized the power of the entire nation to support you, with no shortage of grain or pay, not so that you can sit here drinking wine in the open air."

The general following Minister Liu looked ugly: "What does the Eunuch mean by this? Drinking is done to boost the soldiers’ morale."

The envoy said disdainfully: "It would be worth it if you were celebrating a victory. What is there to boost if you haven't won? In any case, His Majesty urges you to advance. If you do not attack, His Majesty will replace you with generals who are willing to fight."

Minister Liu: "Replacing generals before a battle is a grave taboo!"

Envoy: "His Majesty has no choice. He is suffering from insomnia every night, worrying about the war... When the sovereign is troubled, the subject is disgraced; does the Minister not understand this principle? If you are a loyal subject, you should share the sovereign’s burdens. Minister, advance."

Minister Liu squeezed out a few words through his teeth: "The time is not right."

This blunt reply was sent back to the central government. The Emperor did not change his expression and continued to issue orders for the attack. Seeing the Emperor so anxious, Liu Wenji found it saved him from playing the villain, so he simply watched from the sidelines.

However, Liu Wenji already had a premonition—

The Emperor was urging them to fight day after day. Even if Minister Liu was firm, were the soldiers in Hexi strong enough to withstand the pressure from the central government?

Hexi would soon be forced to attack.

And according to Liu Wenji’s private intelligence exchanges with the Southern Barbarians and his correspondence with Longyou... Minister Liu’s battle would be very arduous. If Hexi lost and Great Wei had to cede land, would the outcome be much different from what the Southern Barbarians wanted?

By then, Liu Wenji would have resolved the leverage the Southern Barbarians held over him and would be able to stand firmly—

Private desires dictating the affairs of state was laughable, but Longyou still dispatched troops.

Liangzhou in Longyou was considered a relatively peaceful place these days. After the war began in Hexi, most of the people moved to Liangzhou. Longyou’s troops were also stationed outside Liangzhou, guarding the last pass of the region.

Liu Ruozhu and her husband, Lin Dao, were also in Liangzhou. Since her grandfather had arrived in Longyou, the grandfather and granddaughter had finally met. Minister Liu felt relieved, and Liu Ruozhu also felt at ease seeing her grandfather guarding the city in person. If her grandfather was there, he certainly would not abandon Hexi.

However, just after the New Year, the situation in Longyou became tense due to the pressure from the central government.

That night, after the nanny had coaxed the children to sleep, Liu Ruozhu and Lin Dao chatted for a while about the worries of war and then went to sleep. They had not been asleep long when they were awakened by the commotion outside. Longyou had been in a state of war for half a year, so such midnight emergencies were not the first time.

Liu Ruozhu and Lin Dao rushed out of the estate and saw frequent military movements in the city and civilians fleeing.

She was about to send someone to ask about the situation when a soldier hurried over and, seeing the young mistress, grabbed her: "Mistress! Governor! The Minister says we have fallen into a trap; someone leaked the intelligence. The Southern Barbarians are attacking at midnight, and our army is unable to resist and is currently retreating.

"The Minister says for Governor Lin and the Mistress to lead all the civilians to retreat inside the pass!"

After the soldier delivered the Minister’s instructions, he turned to find others, but Liu Ruozhu grabbed him: "What about my grandfather? He is so old, why is he not coming with us?"

Soldier: "The Minister says that since he came here to supervise the battle, how can he abandon his troops and flee? The Minister wants you to retreat first, while his army holds the line in the rear, preventing the Southern Barbarian savages from harming the people."

In such an urgent moment, there was no time for further talk.

Liu Ruozhu suppressed her worry and exchanged a glance with Lin Dao. Lin Dao immediately left the estate to call on the people to escape the city in an orderly fashion, to prevent stampedes and deaths caused by their own people. Liu Ruozhu first had the nanny take the children and the civilians to flee, while she began to organize the books left in the estate.

When Lin Dao returned, the two loaded the books and records onto carts. After taking inventory, they began to retreat from the city along with the civilians.

The people of Liangzhou were more accustomed to war than the people of the Central Plains. Even though they were woken up in the middle of the night, with the guidance of the officials and hearing that the Minister’s granddaughter was also fleeing with them, what was there to fear?

The civilians retreated first, with the army holding the rear. Tens of thousands of Southern Barbarian troops were attacking and killing from behind, a bloody battle raging across the city—

Someone had leaked the information, causing the military deployment of Liangzhou to be known in advance. Great Wei was caught off guard and did not have time to think. The Emperor urged them to fight day and night, and under this pressure, they were forced into battle on this night.

The snow was several feet deep, causing inconvenience for both sides.

This should not have been an opportune time for battle, but the Southern Barbarians could not wait, and Great Wei could not retreat.

The civilians retreated first, while Minister Liu, despite his advanced age, rode on horseback with a sword, moving in and out with the soldiers. The horses sank into the snow, unable to move forward. The soldiers blocked the challenges of nature while dealing with the ruthless pursuers behind them.

Minister Liu’s voice boomed like thunder as he shouted to encourage everyone: "We will be fine when we reach the next city! We can reorganize our forces, cooperate with the next city, and drive the barbarians back! This is our land; they cannot win!"

It was precisely by the Minister’s leading by example that the army, despite being ambushed in the middle of the night, did not collapse and had persisted until now.

From midnight until dawn, they fought and fled, exhausted. As they drew closer to the next city, the soldiers saw hope and fought even more heartily. But the vanguard encountered difficulties. Minister Liu sent people to enter the city, only to find them unable to move forward, making no progress.

Minister Liu heard the situation from his subordinates, and his face changed abruptly. He did not dare let the soldiers know the news but rode to the city walls himself.

He saw the civilians who had fled there before them, crowding in front of the city gate like ants, dense and packed. However, the gate was bolted shut, and not a single civilian had been let inside.

Minister Liu was furious. Seeing the silhouettes of soldiers on the city wall, he had someone call out: "I am here, bearing the seal of the Prime Minister! Open the gate at once, receive the civilians, and join us in battle to resist the enemy!"

A moment later, a rope was lowered from the city tower with a bamboo basket tied to it, in which a soldier sat. The small soldier lowered his head, passing through the civilians who were cursing for the gate to be opened, and came to answer the Minister: "Our Jiedushi (regional commander) says that since your defeat was so swift, there must be spies among you. We dare not let you into the city for fear that spies will harm everyone inside."

Minister Liu’s beard shook with rage: "Absurd!"

He restrained his fire: "If you dare not let the soldiers in, you should at least open the gate to let the civilians in! As officials, should you not protect the people?"

The messenger soldier also knew he would be scolded, and he was ashamed and blushing, but he lowered his head: "Our Jiedushi says the fleeing civilians are not people under his jurisdiction and have nothing to do with him. He only needs to hold this city; the rest has nothing to do with us."

Minister Liu was stunned upon hearing this.

The general who had accompanied Minister Liu cursed loudly upon hearing this, never expecting the enemy fire to come from their own side. They were fighting for the country, yet they were being blocked outside the city walls, unable even to enter.

A soldier panted as he came to report: "General, Minister! The enemy is less than ten miles away!"

The cavalry was sweeping south, their momentum like a rainbow; how could they be stopped?

Minister Liu looked at the bustling, black mass of civilians unable to enter the city. He looked up again at the blazing fires on the city tower. He turned back to look at the army following him, at the bloodstains on the soldiers, and the anxiety and expectation on their faces.

The Emperor’s daily urging to fight had not brought him such despair as this night.

The Emperor’s pressure could be anticipated, but the sinister nature of the human heart was unpredictable.

The general asked miserably: "Minister, what do we do?"

Minister Liu’s face turned lead-grey: "Go among those civilians, find my granddaughter and her husband, and tell them that this city will not let the civilians in. Tell them not to hold any hope, and to lead the civilians to continue fleeing toward the pass."

The general agreed.

Seeing Minister Liu so calm, he gained confidence. Wiping the blood from his face, the general stared intently at this aged and vigorous old man: "Then what about us?"

Minister Liu asked in return: "General Guo, are you afraid of death?"

The general was stunned.

Minister Liu looked up, gazing at the endless sky, and murmured: "I was born into an aristocratic family and entered the government through recommendation. I was only sixteen at the time, and now I am seventy-six... Since my youth, for sixty years, I have been in the government. I have done my duty to the sovereign, and carried out his wishes.

"I have watched the building collapse, watched the geese fly south, watched the blood of the setting sun... In my old age, bit by bit, everything has been in vain.

"I thought my strength would be exhausted, and that I would only have to wait to enjoy a peaceful retirement after leaving office. What can I do about the future of Great Wei, the sun and moon of the court... But now, now... this is also fine!"

The wilderness was desolate, silent as death.

The general stared at him blankly, the flames illuminating the old man’s clear eyes, which were filled with tears. The general did not know what to say. The old man had already passed him, walking toward the soldiers, and shouted in a loud voice: "Order the three armies, fight to the death tonight! If there are deserters, they shall be executed immediately!"—

Liu Ruozhu and her husband received Minister Liu’s message and knew the situation was dire. They were helping to relocate the civilians, but by then, the civilians had also realized something was wrong. They discovered that the officials would not let them into the city, and they began to panic one by one, shouting: "The court has abandoned us! The court is retreating! We are going to die!

"Hexi is gone, we are all going to die here, everyone run!"

Liu Ruozhu shouted: "No! The court has not abandoned us, do not panic..."

But no matter how loud her voice was, it was drowned out in the crowd, like spray in a flood. No one listened to her, no one believed her. The civilians were in chaos, some crying and banging on the city gate begging to be let in, others turning and fleeing for their lives in fear, while others went in the wrong direction, walking into the path of the enemy’s arrows...

Liu Ruozhu saw them losing their way in a panic, and she longed to teach them how to escape. But with thousands of civilians in chaos, even if her voice grew hoarse, she could not make anyone listen to her.

Lin Dao pressed her shoulders: "Ruozhu, let it be... We have done our best, and we must escape too... We have already informed the people to escape, we cannot lose our own lives here. We still have books to protect, and children... Ruozhu, let’s go."

Liu Ruozhu was filled with reluctance, but she could only nod. Hardening her heart, and protected by the guards of the estate, she and her husband escorted the carts of books and fled toward the pass—

The sky faded to a dull white, a night of panic.

When there was a bit of light, Liu Ruozhu and Lin Dao stood on a high sand dune and saw the civilians scattered everywhere like mud. She and Lin Dao looked back at the direction from which they had fled the city. There, the flames of war were raging, burning for the entire night without stopping.

Liu Ruozhu watched blankly, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

She knew in her heart that her grandfather would die there; her grandfather would not retreat. Her grandfather was a Prime Minister of the court, a minister under two emperors; he should have retired, he should have been living a peaceful old age! Yet, yet...

She looked again at the scattered civilians and saw that the enemy had already caught up, arrows flying in swarms, iron hoofs trampling. She and Lin Dao were walking on the safe path opened by the authorities, while the civilians were scattered by panic and pursued by the cruel enemy...

All of this made her feel cold all over.

Lin Dao held her trembling hand: "Don't look, Ruozhu, let’s go."

Liu Ruozhu suddenly covered her face and wept, sobbing: "It shouldn't be like this... It shouldn't be like this!

"We cannot let everyone die so unjustly. We cannot escape alone while knowing they will die. If all the civilians die, what is the meaning of us escaping to a safe place?"

Liu Ruozhu lifted her gaze, tears rolling down from her eyes. Through her tear-filled eyes, she looked at the books she and her husband had been protecting along the way. For these books, she and Lin Dao had gone from Chang’an to Hexi, then from Hexi to Liangzhou, from Liangzhou to here... Several years, thousands of days and nights, all to protect these books!

Yet, yet!

Liu Ruozhu suddenly snatched a torch from a soldier beside her. She walked toward the ox cart filled with books. Her hand holding the torch trembled, but she still loosened her grip, pouring fire onto them, igniting the books.

Lin Dao was heartbroken and lunged toward the books from behind, but was caught by Liu Ruozhu: "Husband! We cannot keep these books!"

She said tearfully: "My grandfather may already be dead, and the civilians are being slaughtered before our eyes; we must save the people! We must burn the books, use the large fire to draw the enemy’s attention, and divert the enemy’s focus from the innocent civilians! We can escape, but we must buy a path to survival for others!"

Lin Dao looked at her, his voice hoarse: "This is the lifeblood of our ancestors left behind for thousands of years..."

Liu Ruozhu shouted: "But it is not worth more than human life! It is not worth more than human life!"

Holding the torch, she looked at the exhausted guards beside her, and through the fire, she seemed to see her grandfather, trapped in a sea of flames and dying in battle. She looked again at those scattered civilians... Liu Ruozhu threw the torch in her hand completely into the sea of books.

She ignited these books, and the great fire caused by the wooden materials blazed into the sky, illuminating the heavens and the earth.

She lay on the ground and wept bitterly. She saw thousands of days and nights destroyed by her own hands, saw all the hope she had protected with all her might since she was a teenager being burned by herself... The desert, the raging fire, and the daylight shone on her thin, trembling body.

She wept miserably, but she had to climb back up and lead the people to continue walking forward. Longyou had fallen, Liangzhou had fallen. Her hopes could be destroyed, her ten-plus years of effort could be for nothing... but the people had to live.

People had to go on living.

Lin Dao’s eyes were also filled with tears. He knelt down beside her, watching their ancestors’ lifeblood destroyed at their own hands.

The heavens and the earth were filled with sorrow; what could one do?

The naval battle of Guangzhou ended as King Ale sacrificed many soldiers and led his troops ashore.

Mu Wanyao led the soldiers to watch the battle and, seeing the enemy finally ashore with the outcome beyond salvation, she did not linger in battle. Protected by her soldiers, Mu Wanyao returned to the city and ordered: "From now on, we must begin to 'fortify the walls and clear the fields.' Close the city gates and begin the defensive siege!

"From today on, no one is allowed to take a single step out of the city gates!"

"Fortify the walls and clear the fields" meant that all civilians outside the city were to return inside, and no one was allowed to exit again. Guangzhou was to begin the siege, closing its gates. The true defense of the city began at this moment.

The soldiers relayed the Princess’s orders and hurried back into the city, while the enemy, having just landed, attacked them impatiently. The main body of the enemy army had not yet adapted to the shore, but King Ale had already detached vanguard troops, using them as assassins to harass the retreating Great Wei soldiers.

Mu Wanyao was being escorted back into the city. She was a princess, and having been issuing orders all along, her target was extremely obvious. In the darkness, several people suddenly sprang from the shadows and lunged at Mu Wanyao.

These barbarians coordinated perfectly. Several charged at the soldiers protecting Mu Wanyao, while one held a knife and lunged, instantly tackling Mu Wanyao to the ground and raising his blade. As he swung the knife downward, a flash of light surged upward from below. With a crisp, clanging sound, the weapons collided!

The barbarian’s eyes flashed with anger when he saw that the beautiful princess he had pinned down was holding a dagger. Her strength was not as great as his, and as the enemy pressed his weapon downward, the dagger in Mu Wanyao’s hand cut into her own skin, blood flowing from her palm downward.

But because she had been holding this dagger, she had blocked the fatal blow for herself.

The barbarian was furious and cursed in the Southern Barbarian tongue.

Mu Wanyao, pinned beneath him, looked bright and cold, showing not a trace of panic.

The barbarian grasped Mu Wanyao’s wrist, snatching the dagger from the fragile lady’s hand. Mu Wanyao struggled desperately, her blood flowing like a stream, yet she refused to let go.

It was at this critical moment that Fang Tong, having dealt with the ambush, turned back and saw the Princess being pinned down. His blood ran cold, and he roared in rage. He leapt and slashed his palm downward: "How dare the thief harm Her Highness—!"

Helping the coughing Mu Wanyao up from the ground, the group easily finished off the attackers, and everyone came forward to show their concern.

Mu Wanyao, coughing while gripping her injured palm, gasped: "Never mind them for now, get inside the city."

She did not understand why the enemy would take such a risky action; the enemy could not possibly have harmed her under their very noses... Truly, the Southern Barbarians were simple-minded; how laughable.