"Let's go!" She turned her horse around, shaking off all distracting thoughts, and headed toward the trading house. These worries would have to wait until she returned. The most important task at hand was to ensure that this journey to the west ended safely. Traveling under the guise of "marrying off a princess" was so conspicuous that it made her uneasy, likely arousing even more suspicion from the Liao people. Therefore, she hadn’t planned on taking large quantities of fabric, gold, or silver on this trip. If their cover was blown, the losses would be minimized.
* * *
The sense of unease grew among everyone after passing through Datong and leaving Hengcheng behind. Although they knew that bandits frequently prowled the Helan Mountains, they decided to take the risky route because of its flat and easy terrain, relying on the protection of 120 imperial guards. A few merchants, trusting Jun Feifan’s judgment, agreed to take the longer route through Taiyuan and then Xianyang, even though it would add an extra half month to the journey, but it was absolutely safer. However, the unwilling imperial guards assigned to this mission, along with the "female warrior" posing as the princess and the other jianghu figures, insisted on taking the dangerous path. The farther northwest they traveled, the more they left behind the bustling cities, entering a landscape of desolation. The most unbearable part for them was that their once luxurious meals had been reduced to dry rations, hard bread, and water. They began to grumble about this errand. Although a hefty reward awaited them, the ten days since they had left the Great Wall had worn them down with the dry climate and barren landscape. The twenty or so merchants, who had been trading for years, were used to the weather and terrain, but the martial artists from the jianghu were constantly complaining.
Flying the flag of the Song dynasty might prevent the Liao people from making any rash moves, but in this lawless region, would the unidentified bandits care about that flag?
At noon, during a rest stop, Jun Qiluo spread out the map to study their route. The previous day, they had passed the site where the last caravan had been ambushed, and after seeing the remnants of the corpses themselves, everyone agreed to pick up the pace. In truth, she had felt uneasy from the very first day, not because she feared the unknown bandits, but because of the people assigned to her by Minister Ma.
These five or six jianghu figures didn’t seem like chivalrous heroes at all; their rough and vulgar behavior lacked the loyalty and courage one would expect. As for the 150 supposedly "handpicked" soldiers, they didn’t show any sign of the spirit of self-sacrifice. Just watching their half-hearted training exercises at night made it clear how "elite" they really were. If bandits actually attacked, it would be easier to surrender than to fight back. With such companions, how could she feel at ease? As the leader, everyone should have been following her instructions, but these officials displayed typical bureaucratic arrogance, lacking both knowledge and common sense, while constantly giving orders and disregarding her opinions, even going so far as to intentionally oppose her.
The "emphasis on literature over martial arts" policy might be something to promote in times of peace, but not when the nation’s foundation was still unstable. The taxes contributed by ordinary people each year were actually being used to support this group of parasites—how could that not chill her heart?
"Young Master Jun! Are you tired?" A coy, sweet voice called out from behind her—it was Huang Caigu, the "female warrior" disguised as the princess.
Her slightly plump figure was coupled with a deliberately high-pitched, coquettish tone, which would give anyone goosebumps even on a hot day.
Jun Qiluo cast her a cold glance, but before she could respond, Tiemin, who was standing by, spoke up first.
"Miss Huang, my master is tired."
"I wasn’t asking you! Mind your own business!" Huang Caigu shot a glance at the departing Jun Feifan. From the first day of the journey, she had developed a strong interest in this sole heir of the Jun family. Never mind that he possessed enough wealth to last ten lifetimes; just his mesmerizingly handsome face was enough for her to break tradition and pursue him. She was determined to have him! The title of Young Madam of the Jun family belonged to her! No matter how cold and emotionless Jun Feifan seemed, he was still just a gentle scholar. With her martial arts skills, wouldn’t it be easy to make him submit? As long as she could consummate the relationship during this journey, would Old Master Jun dare to oppose her once they returned to Hangzhou? Even if there were objections due to the difference in status, if that old man wanted to keep his life, he’d better obediently accept her into the family. Otherwise, she would take his life, and Jun Feifan would be hers. The thought made her smile smugly, and she shot a sideways glance at the hulking nuisance in front of her—hmph! Once she became the Jun family’s Young Madam, the first thing she’d do would be to kick this big bear out of the house, and then no one would dare interfere with her plans.
"Young Master…" Shao Tiemin followed closely behind Jun Qiluo, wanting to comfort her but unsure how. He was a brute, unskilled in comforting words. In her presence, even secretly loving her felt like defiling her; to him, she was always pure and unattainable. So he asked for nothing from her, only hoping that he could protect her with his life in this lifetime.
"Go tell Commander Zhao that we should get moving." In the distance, dark clouds were gathering, and there was likely to be a heavy rainstorm before sunset. In the desert, rainstorms could be terrifying, with raindrops so fierce they could kill—this was no exaggeration.
Shao Tiemin looked at the sky, nodded in understanding, and turned to find Commander Zhao. However, Commander Zhao insisted on resting for another half an hour, not because he needed the rest, but to assert his authority over Jun Feifan by opposing his orders.
Jun Qiluo suppressed her anger and strode over to where the merchants were gathered, ignoring the smug laughter and sycophantic flattery directed at Commander Zhao.
"Feifan, if we don’t set off soon, we might not find a place to stop for the night, and it looks like it’s going to rain. We can't camp out in the open," an elder merchant who had traded with her father for many years sighed and muttered quietly, "I really can’t tell if these people are here to help or to make trouble. Eating, drinking, and having fun all the way—this is hardly the behavior of soldiers defending our land."
"I’m sorry, Uncle Chen."
"It’s not your fault! You’re an extraordinary young man!"
Jun Qiluo couldn’t express a word of complaint, only managing a cold, bitter smile. She had endured the arrogance of these officials all the way. At first, everyone was happy to have government protection on the journey, but now, no one felt that way anymore. They would rather have paid for their own guards—it would have been safer.
Jun Qiluo looked anxiously at the sky. Not far above them, a thick, ominous cloud was gathering, and the cold wind brushing against her face carried a chilling sense of foreboding, indicating that a storm was imminent.
"Something's wrong, Young Master," Shao Tiemin said as he quickly approached her, pointing at the dark cloud.
Indeed! The cloud shrouding the mountaintop was dark, but the black smoke rising from below wasn’t just fog. As the ground trembled beneath them, the smoke, which initially appeared to be a cloud, was rapidly advancing toward them.
It was bandits!
"Notify everyone to mount up! Retreat!" Jun Qiluo ordered immediately, rushing toward the officials who were still feasting and drinking, oblivious to the impending danger. Finally, it was time for them to prove their worth!
"Commander Zhao, we’ve encountered bandits! To ensure the safety of the documents, we need to retreat westward. We’ll leave this to you!"
Jun Qiluo, who had mentally prepared herself for this, remained calm in the face of the bandit attack. However, the arrogant Commander Zhao, upon hearing the word "bandits," panicked, spilling his wine all over his pants. Moments later, the ground thundered as the large group of bandits charged toward them with overwhelming force.
"Mount up! Prepare for battle! The bandits are here!" Commander Zhao jumped up, shouting in panic.
His shout only added to the chaos. The soldiers, who had previously appeared tall and imposing, were now hunching over, frantically searching for their horses, with some bumping into each other and others falling flat on their faces. This chaotic scene also startled the horses, causing them to rear and whinny in distress.
"Young Master! We need to leave now! The others have already started retreating!" Shao Tiemin brought over "Zhufeng," kneeling down to help her mount by using his knee as a step.
"Can we rely on them?" she asked, leaping onto the horse, her eyes filled with cold contempt as she watched the bumbling soldiers. The enemy was only a few dozen yards away, yet these 120 supposedly "elite" imperial guards were in complete disarray—some couldn’t even find their horses, while others had no idea where their helmets were.
"We should leave now! At least they can hold them off for a while!" Shao Tiemin slapped the horse, and "Zhufeng" shot forward like an arrow, catching up with the retreating caravan in just a few minutes. Shao Tiemin quickly mounted his gray horse, following closely behind his mistress. One hand tightly gripped the sword at his waist, while the other whipped his horse, determined to protect her with his life.
As was customary, these bandits left no survivors. Even if there were soldiers present, they would still rob without hesitation, fully committed to annihilating their prey.
If Commander Zhao had any sense left, he would realize that he was facing a group of ruthless bandits who would kill without mercy. The only way to survive was to fight with everything they had, or else they were as good as dead.
Jun Qiluo looked northward and was stunned by what she saw! There were only about twenty bandits, yet they exuded an overwhelming aura! The horses galloping across the open plains were enormous, making her beloved "Zhufeng" look like a small mare in comparison. These were not opponents to be taken lightly!
She tried to get a closer look at their clothing, but the howling wind and swirling yellow sand made it impossible to see clearly. All she could make out was the increasingly arrogant expression on Commander Zhao’s face as he underestimated the enemy.
Jun Qiluo bit her lower lip in frustration, so hard that she didn’t even notice when it began to bleed.
These men were too formidable! And Commander Zhao, with his reckless arrogance, was bound to meet a terrible end! Jun Qiluo closed her eyes in pain, but her sixth sense told her something was wrong in the distance. She immediately opened her eyes and spurred her horse forward, racing to the front of the caravan. Ignoring the curious glances from the jianghu figures and the fake princess, she gave a direct order: "Head south! Quickly! Turn south!"
At her command, the entire caravan changed direction and sped southward. But soon, Jun Qiluo realized something was amiss. She rushed to the front again, blocking the path of the oncoming caravan. "There are bandits ahead as well! We’re surrounded!"
In an instant, the entire caravan fell into chaos, especially the packhorses, which had become uncontrollable.
"Drop the cargo!" As soon as she gave the order, Shao Tiemin drew his large knife and swiftly cut the ropes securing the goods on each horse, lightening their loads so they could run faster.
But it was too late! The bandits, who had been lying in ambush in the west, numbered at least fifty. They had already encircled the group, ready to trap them completely.
In the blink of an eye, the bandits began their attack—several horses at the front were immediately shot down by arrows. As one horse after another fell, no one dared to break through the encirclement.
Jun Qiluo quickly realized who these bandits were.
They were Liao people! The gray-black sheepskin coats, leather pants, high leather boots, the wide-collared, narrow-sleeved garments, and the sheepskin jahag draped over their left shoulders—these were all characteristic of Liao attire.
Logically, after killing the horses, they should have started killing people, but why were they only restraining them instead?
There was no time to ponder further. Shao Tiemin pulled her behind him, trying to hide her among the crowd, keeping her out of sight.
The documents were on her; she couldn’t afford to draw any attention!
These bandits were behaving unusually! To be more precise, these bandits didn’t exude the usual crude demeanor.
What was even more perplexing was when a few Liao men dragged over the discarded goods—despite seeing the jewels, silver, and fabrics, the bandits didn’t cheer at all. Each of them remained calm, as if they were waiting for someone to take charge.
Sure enough, a tall man with red hair and a red beard, dressed in black, stepped forward from the group of Liao men. He spoke in broken Chinese:
"Is this the caravan of Jun Chengliu?"
No one dared to answer! The captives, like lambs awaiting slaughter, stared with eyes full of terror, though a few had eyes full of calculation, waiting for the right moment to act.
"Who is the leader?" The moment the red-haired man asked, two heads flew off like scarlet balls.
Among the remaining dozen or so people, there was only stifling silence, punctuated by muffled sobs and the sound of retching.
The red-haired man grabbed Huang Caigu, the fake princess, by the collar.
"Are you the princess?"
"No! No! I'm not the princess..." Huang Caigu frantically responded, her feet kicking in the air, unable to touch the ground.
"Not the princess? Then you're useless alive!" Just as he was about to swing his sword toward her neck, the five jianghu figures suddenly burst out from the crowd, brandishing their weapons and slashing at the red-haired man.
In the blink of an eye, the five so-called experts collapsed to the ground like broken kites, their own weapons piercing their chests. Huang Caigu, upon seeing this, immediately fainted. The red-haired man sneered and contemptuously tossed her aside.
"Hmph! Central Plains people."
He didn’t continue his assault because, from the north, twenty riders were galloping toward them. Leading the charge was a strikingly handsome man.
This is the real leader! Jun Qiluo immediately understood.
He, too, was dressed in Liao attire—black from head to toe—but he wore a large cloak trimmed with luxurious sable fur, exuding an air of authority that didn’t need to be flaunted. It was evident in every movement he made.
He led the twenty riders, who had a far more formidable presence than the fifty or so other Liao soldiers. From their upright posture in the saddle and the sharp gleam in their eyes, it was clear why these twenty were sent to face the 120 so-called elite imperial guards of the Song, while the other fifty or sixty were left to capture the defenseless merchants.
Almost simultaneously, the man noticed her scrutinizing gaze. Despite Shao Tiemin's efforts to shield her, his piercing blue eyes easily found hers through all obstacles.
"The princess is an imposter!" the red-haired man said in Khitan. "And we can't find the leader!"
"You always think killing people will get you answers!" another man beside the leader remarked without a hint of humor. He then scanned the group of merchants, finally fixing his gaze on Shao Tiemin. Turning to the leader atop the high horse, he suggested, "Could the child he's protecting be Jun Chengliu's son?"
"Just a child," the leader replied in a deep, emotionless voice.
"But he's the leader; the documents are likely on him!"
"Kill them all. It doesn't matter if we don't find anything—just make sure they don’t reach Western Xia!" the red-haired man shouted again.
But before he could continue, a whip cracked, sending him flying three meters away, coughing up blood!
No one had seen when their leader pulled out a whip! It wasn’t until the red-haired man was thrown back that they noticed the leader’s hand holding a long, black whip with a golden sheen. The bandits all stood quietly, while the red-haired man, once he regained his footing, didn’t dare touch the bloody, excruciating wound on his face. He had finally realized that his self-assumed heroic actions had enraged his boss. Whether he lived or died now depended on whether the leader still felt any loyalty to him.
However, the blue-eyed leader didn’t spare him another glance, as if nothing had happened. In his usual cold voice, he said, "That child has good eyes."
This meant the leader had taken a liking to the boy with the beautiful eyes. On a deeper level, it implied that he intended to make the boy his servant.
One of the leader's close aides, Duo Luo Qi, immediately walked toward the group of merchants.
Jun Qiluo whispered to Shao Tiemin, "If I’m taken, don’t resist. That man just wants to take me as a servant."
"Kid, you're lucky! Come on!" Duo Luo Qigrabbed Jun Qiluo's hand, pulling her toward the leader. Despite his giant frame, he was surprisingly gentle, though his grip was still strong enough to make her wince in pain.
Shao Tiemin couldn’t hold back any longer!
"Let go of the young master!" He couldn’t just stand by and watch his lady suffer! How could the eldest daughter of the Jun family be subjected to such humiliation? He swung his large blade at Duo Luo Qi's back—but without turning around, Duo Luo Qi drew his own blade, parrying the strike with ease. With a swift move, he disarmed Shao Tiemin and severed the tendons in his right hand!
Duo Luo Qi then turned, ready to drive his blade straight into Shao Tiemin’s heart—Jun Qiluo, seeing this, rushed forward, using her body as a shield to take the blow intended for him...
Luckily, Duo Luo Qi halted just in time. "Duo Luo Qi!" the leader called out, riding over and stopping him at the crucial moment. He didn’t press the attack further, instead pulling Jun Qiluo toward the leader.
The leader narrowed his icy blue eyes, taking in her face, which, despite being smeared with dirt, couldn’t hide its extraordinary beauty.
"Wow! This child is stunning!" Duo Luo Qi finally noticed the boy’s exquisite features. Their leader was known throughout Liao for his striking looks, but this boy, once grown, might even surpass him. This kind of southern beauty was rare in Liao!
The blue-eyed leader used the handle of his whip to lift her chin, wanting to get a closer look at her face. However, the rough surface of the whip handle left a small cut on her jaw.
Jun Qiluo endured the pain and turned her face away, but those blue eyes bore down on her, leaving no escape.
"Skin like water!" the man murmured softly, realization dawning in his eyes as a faint smile tugged at his lips. In an instant, he pulled her up onto his horse.
This action shocked everyone! Even Duo Luo Qi, who usually treated his leader's actions as law, gasped, unsure of what to say. He had always believed his master had no interest in men, but now, as he stood there with his mouth agape, he wasn’t so certain anymore.
Jun Qiluo struggled fiercely! She didn’t dare speak, fearing that her voice would confirm the man’s suspicions—that he suspected she was a woman. She knew what he was thinking. His forceful action of pulling her onto his horse indicated that he still needed a bit more proof. In the South, in the Central Plains, her height and appearance never aroused suspicion, but standing among these rough, giant barbarians, they had reason to doubt her. No! She couldn’t afford to be exposed! She would not endure such humiliation!
The man’s arm held her struggling body and hands in place, while his other hand moved toward the front of her collar...
"No—"
Almost at the same time as her weak plea, Shao Tiemin, who had been lying on the ground in a semi-conscious state, suddenly sprang up with a crazed determination. Holding a knife in his left hand, he lunged at the blue-eyed leader. Duo Luo Qi, who had his back turned, didn’t expect Shao Tiemin to have the strength to attack and was too slow to stop him. But the blue-eyed leader wasn’t worried; he was slightly annoyed at his own carelessness, yet he also felt a grudging respect for this Central Plains man’s determination to protect his master at all costs. He had never seen a Central Plains man with such spirit! He almost felt a sense of kinship with him!
Without even moving, the blue-eyed leader suddenly leaped into the air with Jun Qiluo in his arms, spun around, and kicked Shao Tiemin out of his line of sight. He then settled back on his horse as if nothing had happened. Shao Tiemin, now lying next to Duo Luo Qi, coughed up blood and lost consciousness again, his face a deathly gray. Duo Luo Qi immediately drew his sword and pressed it against Shao Tiemin’s chest, waiting for the leader’s command.
The leader let go of her clothing and asked in Chinese, "Is he your man?"
His meaning was clear—if he was, he would have to die; but if he wasn’t...? She stared into those rare, piercing blue eyes, trying to discern what difference either answer would make. But even if he didn’t have to die, how good could his fate be? Right now, she should be most worried about herself!
"You have two choices," he whispered in her ear, his words cold and vile: "Become everyone’s camp whore, or be my personal concubine..."
With a sharp "slap," her palm landed on his face—that was her answer.
The blue-eyed man’s face instantly hardened into an icy mask, but his eyes blazed with dangerous flames, and his entire body radiated a deep, foreboding aura.
Everyone around them gasped and held their breath—rather than endure humiliation, she would rather choose death! And she wasn’t planning on dying at the hands of this filthy man. So, after slapping him, she immediately grabbed the dagger at his waist and, without hesitation, aimed it at her own heart—but faster still, before she could strike, she felt a sharp pain at the back of her neck, and she slipped into unconsciousness, the dagger falling into the yellow sand below...
She collapsed into the domineering man’s arms, and as she did, her headscarf slipped off in the wind, releasing a cascade of black hair that flowed like a beautiful waterfall, swaying in the breeze.
"My God, she’s a stunning beauty!" Duo Luo Qi exclaimed, voicing what everyone was thinking.
"Such a fiery temperament..." The leader stared at Jun Qiluo for a long moment, then finally looked up at Duo Luo Qi and another silent lieutenant, Dahe Jiyao, giving them orders: "Send the survivors, including the ones who aren’t dead yet, to the north!" Without waiting for a response, he spurred his horse toward the Helan Mountains, followed by twelve of his men.
As the yellow dust stirred up by the horse hooves settled, the thirteen riders had already vanished from sight!
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