The sea wind whistled past the ship. The waves pushed the ship up and down. Although the lampstand attached to the wall of the ship would not fall to the ground, the flames in the lantern were sometimes large and sometimes small. The light made the expressions of the two people in the cabin uncertain.
There was the faint sound of a message outside. A soldier knocked on the door and entered to report something to Xu Maocai. He then hurriedly left the cabin. Tonight, the people within a radius of 20 li around Dong Mountain had sunk into a tense and fearful atmosphere. Regardless of whether they knew the truth or not, they were all terrified and uneasy.
"We need to expand the search area," Xu Maocai said in a low voice. His expression was complicated. Fan Xian's words earlier had directly overturned all of his thoughts. If the Emperor had not died … Xu Maocai did not believe Fan Xian's deduction. Although he didn't know the Eldest Princess's entire plan, looking at the situation at hand, how could the Emperor have survived from the summit of Dong Mountain?
As he was thinking, Fan Xian stood to the side and watched him quietly. It was clear that Xu Maocai had played an important role in the Jiaozhou Navy's rebellion. Otherwise, the Eldest Princess's side would not have been at ease in allowing him to bring a ship here. Fan Xian knew that Xu Maocai had never had any loyalty to the Qing court. He only had hatred and a desire for revenge. This so-called rebellion was something that happened naturally. However, the person he wanted to help in his rebellion was Fan Xian himself.
That was why Xu Maocai had not followed Fan Xian's plan and immediately made contact with the Jiaozhou Zhizhou Wu Gefei or Hou Jichang. He had not sent the news of the Jiaozhou Navy's strange movements to the Overwatch Council, thus creating the difficult situation of Dong Mountain being surrounded.
This was a chess piece Fan Xian had buried deeply in the Jiaozhou Navy. Because the chess piece had its own thoughts, it had lost its original use.
Fan Xian could not get angry. Even his anger was faint because he knew this person's heart.
Xu Maocai saw that he was unable to convince Fan Xian. The expression on his face dimmed. A moment later, he said, "My original plan was to, at the last moment, move my subordinates to launch a counterattack on the sea, disrupt the navy's encirclement, forcefully go ashore, and receive you down the mountain before heading to Jingdou."
Fan Xian's heart trembled. Given the few ships in Xu Maocai's hands and the strength of over a thousand soldiers, he wanted to go ashore to receive him down the mountain. Presumably, he had the determination and courage to die.
"Who would have thought that you would actually be able to …" Xu Maocai shook his head and sighed. A glimmer of respect rose uncontrollably in his eyes. In the eyes of these people, a person who could escape from the precipice of Dong Mountain, which was as smooth as jade, seemed to have already left the realm of mortals.
Xu Maocai continued, "Your guess is correct. This time, the Jiaozhou Navy has joined the Eldest Princess' plan. One reason is because of the Qin family, but the more important reason is because of my participation. If I let you meet with danger on the mountain, then I would not be able to make up for it even if I died ten thousand times. Fortunately, because of this, Governor Yan trusts me very much. Presumably, he won't be able to find this ship. You can rest assured and stay here. "
Fan Xian coughed and shook his head. "I have to get back to Jingdou." After boarding the ship, the first thing he did was ask Xu Maocai about the situation of the blockade on land and sea. He knew that the blockade tonight had gathered countless powerful people. In addition, there were terrifying ninth-level assassins from Dongyi. If he wanted to break through the blockade on land, it would be very difficult.
"Can you have the ship go three li north?" He furrowed his brows. "Beyond three li, those people won't be able to control a wider area. We should be able to find an opportunity."
"There are too many eyes watching. I have to wait." Xu Maocai glanced at him worriedly and sighed. In his opinion, returning to the capital was not the most important thing right now. Finding a way to contact the Black Knights and then get in touch with the people in Jingdou to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight was the wisest choice.
How could Fan Xian not know that if he wanted to obtain the greatest benefit, it would be the best move if he could escape back to Jiangnan, notify Xue Qing, and then return to the capital from Wuzhou to wait for backup. However, this kind of decision was, without question, not something a normal person could make. There were too many people in Jingdou that he needed to care about. The survival of the Qing Kingdom and whether or not war would break out. As Fan Xian's position, he had to keep these things in mind.
"I can't wait too long," Fan Xian said straightforwardly in a low voice. Fan Xian lowered his voice and spoke straightforwardly. The flame in the lamp rose and fell with the waves outside the cabin. It added a glimmer of worry to his face that was rarely seen.
He could leave behind the great Dong Mountain because Uncle Wu Zhu, whom he was most worried about, was in the absolute environment of the great Dong Mountain. Compared to Ye Liuyun, Sigu Jian, and even old Eunuch Hong, he had an absolute advantage. No one could keep him. However, Jingdou urgently needed him to return. They needed the jade seal in his pocket and the Emperor's personally written letter to the empress dowager.
"Outside Danzhou, were you on the ship?" Fan Xian asked in a low voice as he stood behind Xu Maocai, still wearing his bodyguard uniform.
"Yes."
Receiving a definite answer, Fan Xian immediately asked, "When did Yan Xiaoyi get on the ship?"
"I'm not sure," Xu Maocai replied. "It should have been on the way from Danzhou to Dong Mountain."
Fan Xian furrowed his brows. It looked like the Eldest Princess's alliance had received mutual approval. There weren't many cracks within that could be used. "In Danzhou, you should have seen a white sailboat."
Xu Maocai tilted his head in confusion and said, "That was your ship. Of course, I noticed it."
"I want to get on that ship." Fan Xian's eyes narrowed slightly. His tone carried a sense of unquestionable certainty. "Yan Xiaoyi's eyes have probably already risen from the bottom of the sea. It will be too difficult for me to go ashore. Is there a way to head north on the sea?"
Xu Maocai furrowed his brows and said, "Then it would be better to take the ship directly to Danzhou. However, that will depend on luck."
Fan Xian thought for a moment and then nodded. "My luck has always been excellent."
… …
On the dark surface of the sea, the navy ship closest to Dong Mountain shone with a bright light. It did its best to maintain contact with the ships around it. The ship was enormous. Compared to the great Dong Mountain that stretched between heaven and earth, it was pitifully small. It was like a green bean in front of a piece of white paper.
The soldiers on the ship stared nervously at the surface of the sea. It was as if they wanted to find clues in the water. Occasionally, someone would shout something. Many soldiers held bows and arrows in their hands, ready to shoot into the sea at any moment.
A long time had passed since the figure on the stone wall disappeared into the waves. From the surface of the sea to the land on either side of Dong Mountain, countless people were searching for Fan Xian's traces. No one thought that Fan Xian would be hiding on the rebel soldiers' own ship.
Yan Xiaoyi, dressed in light archery gear, stood silently at the head of the ship. The soldiers at his side helped him carry the heavy golden bow. He picked up a cup of strong wine from the wooden table beside him and drained it in one gulp. He continued to stare coldly at the waves below the cliff. Although a long time had passed, he still believed that Fan Xian had not died.
Although Fan Xian had been hit by his arrow and intimidated by the sword that broke the waves, Yan Xiaoyi still believed that Fan Xian had not died. He sent out an order for the navy and the soldiers on the shore to step up their search.
Yan Xiaoyi knew that Fan Xian was injured, but he unconsciously hoped that Fan Xian was still alive. It would be best if he was still alive in front of him and then have his arrow ruthlessly pierce into his throat. He loathed Fan Xian, this pretty boy. He hated him because he knew that his only son's death had something to do with Fan Xian. It was also because that night in the streets of Jingdou, he had held a hard bow in his hand. Yet, he had been at a complete disadvantage in his foggy confrontation with Fan Xian. This was a humiliation he could not accept.
Fan Xian had to die by his hand to wash away this humiliation.
"This time, you probably won't be so lucky." A ruthless light flashed through Yan Xiaoyi's eyes. He stared motionlessly at the stone wall of Dong Mountain. He thought of the scene he had seen earlier, the scene that had shocked him.
That pretty boy had been able to slip down from such a high, steep, and smooth precipice.
If it were not for Yan Xiaoyi's profound realm and startling eyesight, the navy soldiers on the surface of the sea would not have found a trace of Fan Xian. Fan Xian would probably have used the water to escape thousands of li away. All of the rebel soldiers would have thought that the young Commissioner was still trapped on the mountain.
This was not a matter of luck. It was a matter of strength. Yan Xiaoyi's heart chilled slightly. He was shocked by the strength Fan Xian had demonstrated. Because the ship was too far from the precipice, his 13 consecutive arrows had not nailed Fan Xian to the precipice. They had only injured him. This reality made it difficult for Yan Xiaoyi to suppress his emotions.
How could such a powerful enemy allow him to escape tonight's sure-kill situation?
"How is the search on each ship?" Yan Xiaoyi asked with a cold face. When he did not find a trace of Fan Xian in the ocean, he immediately thought that the kid had climbed onto their ship from the ocean. The people the Jiaozhou Navy had sent this time were all people on their side who knew the inside story. Yan Xiaoyi did not suspect anything.
The Admiral of the Jiaozhou Navy, Qin Yi, glanced at him and said in a low voice, "He's not on the ship."
He was a second-generation figure of the Qin family and the cousin of the Deputy Bureau of Military Affairs, Qin Heng. Because of Fan Xian's investigation of the Jiaozhou case last year, he had the opportunity to take over the position of admiral of the Jiaozhou Navy. Since he was standing shoulder to shoulder with Yan Xiaoyi at the bow of the ship, the Qin family's attitude was clear.
"Be careful. This person is very crafty. Since he came down from the mountain, he must have something important on him. If he is allowed to rush back to Jingdou, it will probably have a great impact on the Eldest Princess and old Qin Master's plans," Yan Xiaoyi said quietly.
Qin Yi acknowledged. Although he was a first-level admiral of the navy, in front of Yan Xiaoyi, this super-level admiral, he didn't have the slightest qualification to be unyielding. Particularly in this siege of Dong Mountain, all sides looked out for each other, but the one with the most power was still Yan Xiaoyi.
Yan Xiaoyi looked at the ocean in front of him and suddenly furrowed his brows. "I'm worried that Fan Xian has come ashore from the bottom of the ocean."
"No one can hold their breath at the bottom of the ocean for so long," Qin Yi shook his head. Qin Yi shook his head and said, "There are your trusted soldiers on the shore, as well as the aces from Dongyi. They shouldn't give him a chance."
A strange smile rose to the corners of Yan Xiaoyi's lips. He thought that for that pretty boy to be able to slide down a precipice hundreds of meters high, how could he be judged by common sense?
Seeing Yan Xiaoyi's worry, Qin Yi calmly said, "Tomorrow, at the latest, the day after tomorrow, the plans in the provinces along the road will begin. Although we cannot use the name of the Overwatch Council, we have to send out the news that Fan Xian assassinated the Emperor. He is the most serious criminal in the world. How can he escape?"
Yan Xiaoyi glanced at him mockingly and didn't say anything. He thought, How could a normal general know the power of a ninth-level ace? If he was allowed to come ashore and enter the vast sea of people, even if the court was fooled by the Eldest Princess and gave Fan Xian the charge of rebellion, who could guarantee that Fan Xian would not be able to enter the capital?
"If Fan Xian escapes ashore, he will certainly find the closest Overwatch Council subordinate to send a message to Jingdou," Yan Xiaoyi said coldly. "Although there are Overwatch Council spies everywhere in the provinces, he is most at ease. The ones closest to him are, without question, the people he left in Danzhou."
Qin Yi understood and said, "I will immediately arrange for someone to go to Danzhou."
If Fan Xian was on this ship and heard this conversation, he would certainly want to hug and kiss Yan Xiaoyi. He had been on Xu Maocai's ship thinking hard about how to return to his own ship in Danzhou. Unexpectedly, Governor Yan had given him such a wonderful opportunity.
However, why did he have to go to Danzhou?
…
…
Yan Xiaoyi finished arranging everything and slowly raised his head. The index and middle fingers of his right hand unconsciously curled up. This was a habitual movement brought about by his long years as a bow and arrow. Following the movement of his fingers, his gaze had already landed on the distant and dark summit of Dong Mountain.
He knew where the Emperor was and what awaited the Emperor. Even though the rebellion had already progressed to this stage, as a soldier, he still felt one part admiration, three parts reverence, and five parts discomfort toward the Emperor.
If his only son's death had not made it clear to him that his son was never as precious as the Emperor's son, perhaps Yan Xiaoyi would have chosen some other method and not done what he did tonight.
Fortunately, he did not need to interfere in the matters on the summit. Yan Xiaoyi thought this. Handing over the soldiers in front of the mountain gate to that person was part of the agreement. His mood would also be a bit better.
Then, he bowed respectfully toward the surface of the sea, wishing that the old man on the boat, who was about to ascend Dong Mountain, would send the Emperor off on his behalf.
…
…
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