After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

Only in this way could they offset the enemy's advantage. He thought for a moment and decided to divide his forces, having Du Gui and Wang Xiao carry Er Lai up the mountain, while he would take two servants, armed with long spears, and quickly run towards the riverbank. This way, he could both lure the pursuers to Er Lai and draw the thieves down into the river.

However… Ning Nan’s eyes became complicated… perhaps Cui Cui’s wife is still in the enemy ranks.

While he was grateful to the two men for coming to his rescue, he regretted that they had come too early.

The presence of the Right Protector wearing the Kitchen God mask indicates that this is not the enemy's main altar.

If Erlai and his group had simply followed slowly, without alerting the enemy, and had crept over in this way, they might have been able to find the Right Protector and rescue him, so that he could then go and rescue Cuicui.

Ning Nan sighed inwardly, his feelings a complex mix of emotions.

For the sake of Cui Cui's reputation, he didn't tell Da Hei, Xing Ge'er, and the others that Cui Cui had fallen into enemy hands along with Prince Xin. He only said that this trip was to save Prince Xin.

It was Gongsun Heng who, not seeing Cuicui at the Prince Xin's residence that night, went to Qingliang Mountain and returned to Bailu Academy.

The next day, when the other party came to the mansion, he lied to her, saying that Cui Cui's wife had returned to the Jinyiwei yamen in Qingliang Mountain to take up her duty, and that the meal had been delivered to her master's wife. Gongsun Heng finally breathed a sigh of relief.

As a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Shangguan Xiu naturally knew about it, but neither of them mentioned it.

Cui Cui's wife has fallen into enemy hands... He didn't even dare to think about the worst that could happen.

The moonlight cast a long shadow on the ground, and when the shadow trembled, his eyes suddenly stung with tears. He only hoped that she was still alive.

If it had been mentioned before that Cui Cui might be imprisoned with Prince Xin, Da Hei would have been shrewd despite his rough exterior, and Xing Ge'er would have been even more clever. They would have known his intentions and would have secretly followed him instead of rushing to save him. Er Lai wouldn't have been so badly injured.

Ning Nan stopped thinking and looked down at Er Lai, who was lying on the ground with a pale face. He couldn't help but think that if he survived this time, he would have to ask a matchmaker to find a wife for the boy as soon as he got back to the capital. The boy was too crazy and didn't care about his life. He had to have an heir as soon as possible.

He, who was usually decisive, hesitated for once this time, wondering if he should use the excuse of asking the other party to "let the two rascals go" to pretend to surrender again and thus infiltrate the enemy camp.

"Master Feng! Master Shen! Old Xu the Third!"

At this moment, a man on horseback gritted his teeth and said hatefully,

"You saw that? I, Zhao Laoqian, said long ago that we should cut off this man's feet or hands, or at the very least sever his tendons! That way he can't escape! What good is your womanly compassion?!"

Feng Yu, mounted on his horse and holding a sword, sighed and said, "The Right Protector said we must not..."

"Damn it!" Zhao Laoqian cursed, then turned to Xu Tianji: "Xu Laosan! You're the Right Protector disciple, you make a decision!"

Zhao Laoqian was from Peng Liangang's faction and had long harbored intense hatred for Ning Baixuan, who had seriously injured Peng Liangang.

Xu Tianji glanced at the black horse on the ground, felt a tightness in his chest, and said without hesitation:

"Don't hesitate this time, just cut off his hand!"

Zhao Laoqian cheered loudly, and Feng Yu lowered his head but did not refute him anymore.

Master Ning's expression became extremely complicated.

Well, I've got a bunch of lunatics stuck with me, so I guess I'll have to go down to the river.

With the sachet on the sole of his foot, Dahei and Shangguan Xiu were always able to catch up.

They could only wait until a few were killed before the rest of them fled, then pursue and kill them.

Just then, the rapid sound of galloping horses came from the west.

Ning Nan turned his head to look in the direction of the hoofbeats.

A white horse moved lithely in the moonlight, while a burly man on its back seemed to be covered in blood, swaying precariously.

"Big brother!" the big man roared.

The mighty river surged and roared, and the tide crashed against the rocks, splashing up a spray of water.

Swish!

The swaying giant waved his hand and suddenly threw something at Ning Nan!

Ning Nan looked up.

The moon was shining brightly over the mountains, its light as clear as water. A leather bag containing several long objects was covered in moonlight, which made them shimmer with silver light as it flew towards him through the air!

……

……

The iron fence was bathed in the dim light of an oil lamp.

The woman who suddenly lifted her purple veil silenced the entire inner room.

Apart from the two maids protecting the woman, everyone else, including the other imprisoned female officials and the King of Wu on the ground, was dumbfounded.

Even the Kitchen God, who was holding a long knife, had a slight change in his eyes at this moment.

However, he didn't seem too surprised, and the long sword in his hand remained motionless.

Zhu Jiamu, disguised as Prince Xin, snorted and his eyes flashed with a sharp light: "You treacherous traitors, you actually thought you could capture His Highness alive with just a few useless fools? Little did you know that His Highness Prince Xin is a man of great talent and wisdom, and has already seen through your wolfish ambitions! Your despicable tricks!"

The Kitchen God stared at Zhu Jiamu without saying a word.

Prince Wu, who was pinned to the ground by Xing Kaiyang, who had lost his left eye, had a somewhat vacant look in his eyes.

He then burst into tears of joy.

"That's great...that's great..."

Tears streamed down his face as he cried:

"My poor niece is alright... With her in the capital... I'm sure Prince Qi's plot to usurp the throne will not succeed..."

"Of course," Zhu Jiamu wrinkled his nose and smiled.

The Kitchen God replied, "It is Your Highness, Princess Tang. I was rude just now."

Zhu Jiamu snorted again.

The Kitchen God raised his knife, his voice cold:

"Since you are Princess Tang, then I can wield this blade even faster."

The two maids were startled.

The maid on the right could no longer bear it.

With fists clenched, he kicked the Kitchen God with a fierce kick!

The Kitchen God had originally raised his knife.

With just one swing of his sword, the maid would have to withdraw her right foot. The maid was actually waiting for him to swing his sword. As soon as he swung his sword, she dodged and then punched him in the neck.

Unfortunately, the opponent did not swing his knife.

The Kitchen God's eyes remained unchanged as he suddenly raised his left foot.

Crack!

The maid let out a muffled groan.

The opponent's kick was like an iron whip, striking her shin with lightning speed before quickly retracting.

His shinbone was broken by the opponent's kick.

The maid stumbled, and when her right foot landed, the broken bone caused her excruciating pain, and cold sweat broke out on her forehead.

She gritted her teeth, remained silent, and clenched her fist to punch the Kitchen God in the abdomen.

When she was on Mount Qingliang, her martial arts skills were among the best of her age; otherwise, Qin Qianshi would not have assigned her to protect Princess Tang.

But I never expected this.

This person's martial arts skills were so high that she felt even Master Lu Chong seemed to be slightly inferior to him.

The maid's hands were calloused, and her fists were as hard as stone, but just as she was about to smash the Kitchen God's abdomen...

The Kitchen God will kick you again.

He kicked the maid in the stomach.

The maid coughed up a mouthful of blood with a "pfft" sound, finally unable to hold back her pain and cried out.

He immediately collapsed to the ground, his fate unknown.

Another maid, her face pale, stood protectively in front of Zhu Jiamu. Her martial arts skills were not as good as the fallen maid. She had wanted to take advantage of the moment when the other maid struck the other's throat to rush forward and take away the other's single knife. She never expected that she would be defeated so quickly!

The Kitchen God said, "Your Highness, I am here to send you off to the afterlife."

Zhu Jiamu's heart pounded, but his expression remained calm: "Uncle Wu, are you just going to watch someone kill me?"

The King of Wu, his face contorted with grief, cried out through tears, "Stop! How dare you, you treacherous dog, harm the daughter of the King of Liang! How dare you harm my niece?!"

Zhu Jiamo sneered:

"Calling for Uncle Wu won't do any good. You should get this one-eyed man holding you down to untie you, then stand up, slap this thief, and say, 'You disobedient dog, you dare to actually hurt my niece, Zhu Enzhen?'"

The Kitchen God wielded his knife.

King Zhu Enzhen of Wu's pupils contracted.

Zhu Jiamu raised his chin and said, "Zhu Enzhen, try killing me then."