The Red Mansion

Chapter 230 Fake Assassination of Jing Ning, Jiang Nian Captures the Head

After offering sacrifices at Jinglan's tomb, Emperor Jingning descended the mountain.

The rain had stopped, but the stone steps of the mountain path, already covered in moss over the years, were made even more slippery by today's rain.

Dai Quan and Hou Wei supported Emperor Jingning from both sides, proceeding with extreme caution, as if afraid of causing any mishap. Hou Wei, in particular, tensed his muscles, his iron-like hands firmly supporting Emperor Jingning's elbows.

After all, Emperor Jingning was already over seventy years old. If he were to fall on this slippery mountain path, he could suffer minor injuries or even die. Wouldn't that be a momentous event?

“Master, watch your step.” Dai Quan’s throat tightened. “This step is missing a corner.”

Emperor Jingning waved his hand, saying, "I am not that old yet." Despite his words, he slowed his pace.

After finally reaching the foot of the mountain, there were two blue cloth carriages and some horses waiting for them.

As Emperor Jingning boarded his carriage, he glanced back at the mountain path, the image of the solitary grave he had just offered sacrifices to flashed through his mind, and his expression seemed somewhat dazed, but he quickly composed himself.

When he arrived, he summoned Zhen Yingjia to ride with him, mainly to inquire in detail about Jinglan's affairs.

Now that he was leaving, he rode alone in a carriage, no longer inviting Zhen Yingjia to ride with him, but instead asking Zhen Yingjia to ride with Lei Xiaochen.

Seeing this, Zhen Yingjia naturally dared not say anything more and could only turn around and ride with Lei Xiaochen.

Lei Xiaochen is over sixty years old. He is a veteran general with many military achievements and a duke. He currently serves as the Grand Minister of the Imperial Guard, a first-rank military officer.

Although Lei Xiaochen's hair was gray, he still possessed a fierce aura. Unfortunately, he had been plagued by old ailments in recent years. Emperor Jingning, mindful of his hard work and great achievements, specially ordered him to ride in a carriage on this incognito trip to spare him the hardship of riding.

When Lei Xiaochen saw Zhen Yingjia get into his carriage, he moved aside.

Upon noticing the strong medicinal smell emanating from Lei Xiaochen, Zhen Yingjia respectfully asked, "Has the Duke's old ailment flared up again? You smell strongly of medicine on him."

Lei Xiaochen smiled and said, "The illnesses I developed on the battlefield back then can't be cured completely."

Zhen Yingjia quickly began to compliment Lei Xiaochen on his military achievements.

Hou Wei, a first-class bodyguard of Emperor Jingning, sat beside the imperial carriage driver, his eyes sharp and alert, constantly vigilant of his surroundings.

Dai Quan, disguised as a steward, rode a green horse and followed closely beside the emperor.

The Qingcong horse refers to a horse with a black and white coat, with "qing" meaning black. This breed is rare, firstly because it is few in number, making it valuable; and secondly because it is robust and has excellent endurance.

In Daqing, the Qingcong horse was often chosen as the mount of generals, and princes and ministers often used it as part of their ceremonial procession to demonstrate their status. The emperor's ceremonial procession also required a Qingcong horse. High-quality Qingcong horses presented as tribute by Mongolian princes would be recorded as "superior steeds," and the emperor would often bestow them upon his officials.

The maintenance cost of Qingcong horses is high, requiring dedicated personnel to feed them fine food such as beans and eggs, consuming several kilograms of feed daily, which is difficult for ordinary families to afford.

Jiang Nianji, along with a group of guards and personal soldiers, still lingered around the imperial carriage in twos and threes, appearing to be ordinary merchants, but in reality, they harbored hidden strength.

Jiang Nian had a short-handled knife hanging at his waist and a bow and arrows hidden on the side of his saddle. His eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, and he dared not slacken his vigilance.

The guards escorting Emperor Jingning on his incognito trip were all personally selected by Lei Xiaochen, and almost all of them were people he trusted. Therefore, Qi Jianyu, Zou Jianyuan, and Meng Xiong did not accompany him.

Jiang Nian was selected because he was already Emperor Jingning's personal bodyguard, and because Lei Xiaochen believed that he was actually Emperor Jingning's commoner grandson.

Although the imperial guards numbered only twenty-odd, each was highly skilled in martial arts and carried either bows or crossbows. Even if the hundred or so assassins who had previously attacked Yuan Li in Yangzhou were to attack, they would not be able to assassinate Emperor Jingning.

……

……

Emperor Jingning and his entourage moved forward in their carriages. Where the horses' hooves trod, mud and water splashed everywhere. The wheels rolled over the wet and muddy official road, sometimes getting stuck in the mud, which slowed their progress.

The rain had stopped, and the world had returned to clarity from its hazy state.

During the Qingming Festival, carriages and horses rumbled about.

As they were traveling, they suddenly saw a caravan of twenty-one people parked by the roadside ahead. Some were leaning against their horses, while others were surrounding the carriages. They seemed like ordinary merchants, but there was something strange about them.

The leader of this "caravan" was a man nearing forty, with a broad back and a burly build, and eyes that seemed to pierce the sky. He called himself "Xiao Zhong" to his subordinates, but this was actually an alias that implied "loyalty" to the former Ninth Prince, Yuan Tang. This Xiao Zhong was a leader of a group of assassins kept by Yuan Tang.

All twenty-one members of this "caravan" were suicide soldiers!

Although it was common for merchants to come and go at the foot of Niushou Mountain, Hou Wei, a first-class imperial bodyguard, was experienced in protecting the emperor and immediately felt suspicious upon seeing this situation. His heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly shouted, "Stop!"

The sound was like tearing silk.

The blue cloth carriage carrying Emperor Jingning stopped immediately, and all the guards and personal soldiers also stopped.

Emperor Jingning gently lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and glanced at the caravan ahead. Because of his presbyopia, he couldn't see clearly, so he quickly put on his glasses and looked again, this time seeing it clearly. Like Hou Wei, he also found the caravan ahead suspicious, and his graying brows furrowed, a flicker of doubt crossing his imperial eyes.

Jiang Nian had already cleverly taken out a hidden bow from the side of the saddle, the quiver half-open, ready to fire.

Just as Hou Wei was about to send someone forward to inquire, he suddenly saw that the caravan members had all taken out their bows and crossbows.

Jiang Nian, with her sharp eyes and quick wit, immediately shouted sternly, "Protect the Emperor!"

Before he could finish speaking, a crossbow bolt pierced the air; it was a hasty shot from a suicide soldier that missed its mark.

In the blink of an eye, Hou Wei quickly closed the carriage door to protect Emperor Jingning inside. The door was specially designed to deflect arrows.

The guards and personal soldiers surged around the imperial carriage like a tide, surrounding the blue cloth carriage like an iron barrel.

Jiang Nian leaped off his horse with a somersault, using the steed as a shield, and drew his bow. With a "whoosh," the arrow pierced the air, and a soldier fell to the ground, a flower of blood blooming from his chest.

Dai Quan, riding a sturdy horse close to the emperor's side, was still terrified when he saw the "fake assassination attempt," even though he knew there would be one. He hurriedly dismounted and shrank behind the guards.

For a moment, the guards and soldiers exchanged crossbow fire, arrows flying back and forth, the sound of them piercing the air never ceasing.

Suddenly, the curtain of the carriage behind the emperor's carriage was lifted, and the elderly and ailing Lei Xiaochen stepped out with a bow. However, this old duke and veteran general was no longer as powerful as he used to be when he drew his bow. He fired three arrows and hit one of the assassins.

Zhen Yingjia was terrified and cowered in the carriage, barely daring to breathe.

A fierce battle broke out suddenly. Arrows flew back and forth like locusts. In no time, most of the twenty-one warriors were dead or wounded. Corpses lay everywhere, and blood mixed with mud stained the official road a glaring scarlet red.

On the guards' side, only a few were killed or wounded. The leader of the suicide squad, Xiao Zhong, suddenly roared, "Retreat!"

Before he finished speaking, he had already performed a somersault and leaped onto a horse that had fallen behind.

Upon receiving the order, two of the remaining six assassins hurriedly mounted their horses, while the other four darted into the woods beside the road.

With lightning speed, Jiang Nian drew his bow and nocked an arrow. With a "whoosh," the arrow pierced the air, striking a mounted assassin squarely in the back. The man uttered no sound and fell from his horse like a kite with a broken string. This was the third person Jiang Nian had shot that day.

The emperor was unharmed, and Jiang Nian deduced that the burly man who had shouted "retreat" was likely the leader of this group of assassins. If they could capture him alive, they might be able to uncover the mastermind behind today's assassination attempt. Jiang Nian even speculated that the mastermind behind today's assassination attempt might be the same one that had orchestrated the assassination of Yuan Li in Yangzhou.

Upon realizing this, Jiang Nian immediately mounted her horse and chased after Xiao Zhong.

Seeing Jiang Nian chasing the enemy alone, Lei Xiaochen hurriedly called his trusted second-class guard Luo Yingping and said, "Quickly follow Jiang Nian and chase the enemy together!" Firstly, he had already determined that Xiao Zhong, who was riding away on horseback, was the leader, and secondly, he was thinking that he could not let something happen to Jiang Nian, the commoner grandson favored by Emperor Jingning.

Luo Yingping hurriedly rode his horse to catch up with Jiang Nian.

On the muddy official road, four riders were seen chasing each other: Xiao Zhong was in the lead, followed by a bodyguard, Jiang Nian was in close pursuit, and Luo Yingping followed closely behind Jiang Nian.

Mud splattered wherever the hooves of the four horses trod.

As Jiang Nian spurred his horse forward, he drew his bow. Seeing that the assassin ahead was moving a little slower, he seized the opportunity and shot an arrow like a shooting star. With a "whoosh," the assassin was struck by the arrow and fell from his horse.

Jiang Nian glanced back at Luo Yingping, who was chasing after him, pointed at the assassin on the ground, and shouted, "Finish off this traitor!" He didn't know if the fallen assassin was dead. If he wasn't dead, he might shoot an arrow at him from behind.

Hearing Jiang Nian's shout, Luo Yingping understood her meaning. He reined in his horse and approached, firing a crossbow bolt at the struggling assassin on the ground. The assassin died instantly, his eyes still wide open, as if he had died with his eyes open in disbelief.

Jiang Nian continued to pursue the enemy alone, holding a fine bow.

Although Xiao Zhong was riding a fine horse, the official road was muddy from the recent rain, while Jiang Nian was also riding a fine horse and her riding skills were no worse than his. Xiao Zhong couldn't shake off Jiang Nian.

Once the two were closer, Jiang Nian drew his bow, aimed at Xiao Zhong's right shoulder, and fired the arrow with a "whoosh," but the arrow missed. Because Jiang Nian wanted to capture Xiao Zhong alive, this arrow was aimed at his right shoulder, and it was fired while the horse was swaying, making it exceptionally difficult.

Xiao Zhong turned around, drew his bow, and shot another arrow at Jiang Nian, but it missed.

Jiang Nian drew her bow again and fired an arrow, aiming straight for Xiao Zhong's right shoulder. This time she hit her mark, but Xiao Zhong was alert and agile, turning sideways on his horse and the arrow just barely grazed past.

Xiao Zhong hurriedly shot at Jiang Nian again, but his aim missed.

The two had now left the Niushou Mountain area and arrived at a fork in the road. Just as Xiao Zhong was about to turn his horse around, Jiang Nian saw it clearly, seized the opportunity, and fired her third arrow through the air.

The third arrow was perfectly aimed, striking Xiao Zhong squarely in the right shoulder. Xiao Zhong cried out in pain, and with his horse turning, he lost his balance and tumbled off, rolling into the muddy water.

Xiao Zhong carried a bottle of poison; he was a daredevil. He had planned to commit suicide by poison if he were ever captured alive, to avoid being tortured after being captured.

However, at this moment, he thought that the only pursuer was Jiang Nian, who was also a young man, so he was unwilling to commit suicide immediately. He held onto a sliver of hope that he could live, which was of course the best course of action.

Just as Xiao Zhong was hesitating, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his left arm, as Jiang Nian shot another arrow at him.

As a result, Xiao Zhong was hit by an arrow in his right shoulder and another in his left arm, so he could no longer use a bow and arrow, and even taking out the bottle of poison from his pocket was difficult.

It must be said that Jiang Nian's archery skills are already superb, and his accuracy is truly remarkable. This is because since his transmigration, he has been diligently practicing martial arts under He Yun's guidance, especially archery. And since he established the Jiang Family Training Ground in the eastern suburbs of Shenjing, he has placed particular emphasis on practicing archery.

Today's battle has truly showcased his skill in riding and archery.

Xiao Zhong knew he couldn't escape. He gritted his teeth, endured the pain in his right shoulder, and raised his right hand tremblingly, then reached into his robes to retrieve the bottle of poison.

Unfortunately, Jiang Nian was sharp-eyed and quick-witted. Seeing Xiao Zhong's actions, she immediately sensed something was wrong. She leaped off her horse and pounced on him like an eagle hunting a rabbit. Just as Xiao Zhong was about to take the poison, she tackled him to the ground in the mud. The small celadon bottle containing the poison crashed to the ground with a thud, spilling the poison and seeping into the soil along with the mud.

Jiang Nian pressed Xiao Zhong's back with her knee and twisted his arms behind his back, rendering Xiao Zhong unable to move.

Xiao Zhong continued to struggle, uttering foul language.

Jiang Nian remained calm and unafraid that Xiao Zhong would bite his tongue and commit suicide. He knew that the claim of "biting one's tongue to commit suicide" was untrue, and the probability of dying from biting one's tongue was extremely low.

Just then, accompanied by the rapid sound of horses' hooves, Luo Yingping arrived.

Seeing that Jiang Nian had subdued the bandit leader, Luo Yingping, who was more than ten years older than Jiang Nian, couldn't help but praise, "What skill!"

Jiang Nianze said urgently, "Quickly help me tie this bastard up!"

Luo Yingping dismounted, but had not brought any ropes. On a whim, he untied the jade belt from his waist and used it to tie Xiao Zhong's hands behind his back.

Jiang Nian thoroughly searched Xiao Zhong's entire body, leaving no stone unturned, even checking the linings of his shoes and the collar and cuffs of his clothes. However, aside from the spilled poison, the bandit leader had found no other clues on his person.

Jiang Nian and Luo Yingping, leading the horse and escorting Xiao Zhong, returned along the route they had come from, intending to meet with Emperor Jingning.

Xiao Zhong had injuries to both arms and walked unsteadily, yet his eyes still gleamed with a fierce light.

Before they had gone a hundred paces, they suddenly saw a procession of carriages and horses in front of them, which was none other than Emperor Jingning and his entourage.

Emperor Jingning arrived swiftly in a blue cloth carriage, escorted by a group of guards and personal soldiers. The old Duke and veteran general Lei Xiaochen, no longer in a carriage, rode alongside the imperial carriage, bow in hand, exuding a certain imposing presence.

To prevent another attack by assassins, Emperor Jingning was preparing to quickly return to Jiangning City.

As the imperial carriage drew near, Emperor Jingning lifted the curtain and saw that Jiang Nian was safe and sound, and had even captured the bandit leader. A glint of light flashed in his eyes.

Once the two sides had met, Jiang Nian approached the blue cloth carriage, cupped his hands, and reported, "Your Majesty, I have captured an assassin. Judging from his behavior, he may be the leader of this band of thieves."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Jingning, whose face was solemn, couldn't help but exclaim "Good!" Although he immediately put on a stern expression again, the fleeting joy in his eyes was clearly visible, like the moon breaking through the clouds.

Dai Quan, riding his green horse, was so frightened that his face turned ashen...

Dai Quan's frightened expression didn't escape Jiang Nian's notice. A glint flashed in Jiang Nian's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure, thinking to herself, "Why is Dai Quan so out of control? Something seems off..."

Luo Yingping quickly took his own jade belt and tied it back on, replacing the jade belt binding Xiao Zhong with a rope.

Jiang Nian looked up at the sky, which seemed to be clearing up after the rain.

Surrounded by guards and personal soldiers, the imperial carriage rumbled and headed straight for Jiangning City.

(End of this chapter)