Chapter 137: Let’s Jump Together
Chapter 137: Chapter 137: Let’s Jump Together
Someone shouted, "It’s the Qiang raiders!"
Cui Lingyao’s heart lurched. Before she could even react, her sedan chair tilted precariously twice before crashing to the ground with a BANG.
She nearly tumbled out.
A long, slender hand reached in from outside, firmly grasping her wrist.
"Come with me."
Cui Lingyao was pulled out of the sedan.
What were mere droplets moments ago had become a heavy downpour, staining the muddy ground scarlet with blood.
Just a few steps away, a dozen or so men with dark, coarse skin—clearly not Yue People—wielded long blades, slashing wildly at their retinue.
The Pei Family’s funeral procession had no guards, only unarmed servants. Facing the slaughter, they could do nothing but scream and scatter in terror, completely powerless to fight back.
Shen Er and a few guards from the Shen Family, however, were able to engage the attackers, forming a protective circle around their two masters.
But they were severely outnumbered and lacked proper weapons, steadily losing ground.
They weren’t far from the bridge. Panicked servants scattered in every direction, only to be cut down by a sweep of a long blade, collapsing as blood gushed from their wounds.
It was impossible to know if they were alive or dead.
The scene was terrifying.
A few of the Qiang people spotted Cui Lingyao emerging from the sedan. Their eyes lit up as they charged in her direction.
They had a clear target.
Shen Tingyu pulled her into his arms, twisting to dodge an incoming blade. His voice was grim. "These are Qiang people who escaped from the Capital City. They’re here for you."
’As for why they would target a cloistered young lady like her... it was, of course, because of that man.’
Just then, one of the Qiang broke through the cordon and charged them, swinging his blade down, only to be sent flying by a kick from Shen Tingyu.
The usually gentle man gritted his teeth. "He’s dragged you into his mess again!"
As he spoke, he grabbed her wrist, intending to fall back, but saw that another group had somehow surrounded them from behind.
This group was a mix of people with distinctly different complexions—both foreigners and Yue People.
All were fiercely menacing.
The man in the lead, sitting astride his horse, saw them and called out with a laugh, "Miss Pei, no need to be frightened. My master only wishes to invite you as a guest and has no desire to harm you. Blades don’t have eyes, so why not surrender? It’ll be better for all of us."
Shen Tingyu’s face fell. "Li Lu!"
He actually knew the man.
The man, Li Lu, wasn’t surprised to see him. He gave a faint smile. "Word of today’s events cannot get out, so no one can be left alive. Mr. Shen, you’ll just have to count this as your unlucky day."
The implication was clear: only Cui Lingyao would be allowed to live.
Even Shen Tingyu was marked for death.
Cui Lingyao also recognized Li Lu.
’He was Li Wanrong’s full-blooded brother, the Empress’s nephew.’
’The Princely Heir of Marquis Guangping Mansion.’
’Had the Empress somehow found out about her rebirth, or did she simply think Xie Jinbai’s affections had shifted to her?’
’Either way, the Empress had made her move.’
’She wanted me captured to threaten Xie Jinbai.’
’And she intended to silence everyone here, including Shen Tingyu.’
Li Lu claimed he didn’t want to harm her, but even as he spoke, he made no move to order his men to stand down.
The fighting on both sides raged on.
Blood spattered across the ground. Before the torrential rain could wash away the crimson stains, fresh sprays of it continually painted the earth.
She watched, horrified, as a severed arm flew through the air.
A scream rose in Cui Lingyao’s throat, but she swallowed it back, afraid of distracting the man beside her.
’She knew how to ride and shoot, but she had no martial arts training. She had never witnessed such a brutal scene.’
The rain intensified, blurring their vision. Shielding her, Shen Tingyu narrowly dodged several deadly blades, only for two more assailants to charge at them.
They were attacked from both front and rear.
Shen Tingyu kicked away the man in front but only had time to twist away from the blade coming from behind.
It still caught him in the back.
Warm blood sprayed across Cui Lingyao’s face.
"Master!" Shen Er shouted from a distance, trying to break through to help, but several men blocked his path.
More and more assassins were breaking through the protective circle.
There was no escape.
Shen Tingyu pulled her close and strode onto the stone bridge.
"Are you alright?"
Cui Lingyao raised a hand to wipe the blood from her face, desperately trying to see the wound on his back. "Shen Tingyu, are you okay?"
"I’m fine, Yaoyao. Now listen to me."
The roar of the rain and screams was deafening. More Qiang people were closing in from behind, and when he looked up, he saw more men waiting on the other side of the bridge.
Time was running out. Shen Tingyu held her tight, glanced down at the churning water below the bridge, and spoke quickly. "We have nowhere left to run. Jumping is our only chance of survival. If I stay, it’s certain death. But you’re different. The Empress wants to use you against Xie Jinbai. If Li Lu captures you, he might humiliate you or make things difficult, but he won’t dare kill you... You..."
"You have a choice. Jump with me, or go with Li Lu."
’Enemies before them, enemies behind. There was no escape.’
’Since the Empress had made her move, she must have prepared for every contingency, casting an inescapable net.’
’This raging river was their only way out.’
’The rain was too heavy. Even if they had men stationed in the river, they would be ineffective in these conditions.’
’Shen Tingyu was a decent swimmer; he had a good chance of seizing this sliver of hope.’
’But the girl in his arms had drowned three years ago...’
’He was afraid she was traumatized, yet he couldn’t bring himself to abandon her at such a critical moment.’
’So he left the choice to her.’
Cui Lingyao didn’t even hesitate. "We’ll jump together."
’In another world, she had learned to swim.’
’Her "drowning" three years ago had simply been the catalyst for her to leave this world.’
’She hadn’t felt the terror of death at all before she departed.’
’It wasn’t the water she feared, but the memory of that bone-chilling winter cold.’
’She had said, "We’ll jump together..."’
A flicker of movement in his eyes was the only sign of his reaction. Shen Tingyu no longer hesitated. He reached out to unfasten her cloak, wrapped his arm around her waist, and said, "Hold me tight. Don’t let the current separate us."
Behind them, Li Lu saw their intention. His expression changed drastically, and he roared, "Wait!"
But it was too late.
As his shout faded, a soft SPLASH was heard. The man and woman on the bridge, locked in a tight embrace, plunged into the river below and were quickly swallowed by the water.
Li Lu raced to the edge of the bridge, barking orders. "Quick! All of you, after them!"
The rain was too heavy.
The river was a churning, violent torrent.
It could swallow a person whole in an instant.
The men he’d brought with him looked hesitant.
"Princely Heir, these brothers are all Beijing people! We’re not strong swimmers. Jumping in would be suicide!"
Li Lu snarled, "This is the person the Empress wants! There will be a handsome reward for her capture!"
He turned to the Qiang people beside him. "Are any of you good swimmers? Quickly..."
The Qiang men could see he was an incompetent fool and had no intention of following his orders.
The only thing stopping them from cutting him down was the reward the Empress had promised.
"So this was your foolproof plan? ’Like shooting fish in a barrel,’ you said?"
One of the Qiang leaders, furious, sneered. In heavily accented Great Yue official-speak, he cursed, "You posturing clown. We’re done here."
’Hundreds of our brothers died breaking through the encirclement of that God of Killing, all to get to this final step.’
’And for what? For the target to escape right under our noses.’
’If this posturing clown hadn’t been so busy showing off, we would have had her long ago.’