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

Ten people and eight horses; Xu Tianji and Feng Yu rode together on one horse, and Shen Shou and Zhao Laoqian rode together on another.

Shen Shou was deathly pale and nearly unconscious, and was tied to his body with rope by Zhao Laoqian.

The horses beneath them had been startled; several horses were dropping manure as they ran, their steps were unsteady, and a few others had fallen and been injured. The group was already worried about running, and this man's pressure only made them more anxious.

Feng Yu gritted her teeth and asked, "Is he really alone?"

"Just one!" the group shouted.

"when!"

A flash of blue light.

The thin man, Huang Deliang, flicked his longsword, deflecting an arrow aimed at Zhao Laoqian. Zhao Laoqian was startled and thanked him profusely, sweating profusely.

Huang's wife, with a fiery temper, shouted at Huang Deliang, "Man, you run with Master Feng and the others. I'll stay behind to cover the rear." Huang Deliang shook his head: "I'll stay with you."

Xu Tianji said with a ferocious expression, "There's no need for him to cover the rear. Just let him come along." Everyone was taken aback.

Feng Yu also said, "That's right. Since he's alone and he foolishly followed us, what's the difference between us capturing him and taking him to the Right Protector?"

Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly realized that their horses were no longer able to catch up with their opponent, but once they reached the Right Protector, someone would come to capture him. With this thought in mind, everyone was invigorated; there was still a chance they could complete their mission tonight.

"Hurry up!" Xu Tianji said.

He pointed with his hand.

Feng Yu looked up.

Far to the east, a wisp of black smoke rose into the sky.

Feng Yu was suddenly startled.

Previously, when they were in the west, a few wisps of black smoke rose up, diverting the western warships. Now, a few wisps of black smoke have risen up again in the east, more than ten miles away.

Feng Yu looked out at the river ahead.

Sure enough, under the veil of night, several warships crisscrossing the river had been drawn away by the black smoke. Feng Yu's heart leaped with excitement!

Xu Tianji, covered in a cold sweat, said, "We'll be there soon."

He gritted his teeth: "If we go another three or four miles, we'll be able to take care of him."

……

The mighty river surges on.

A long, thin black dog chased after a lithe white horse in the moonlight.

About a mile or two behind the long, thin black dog.

A horse team of more than twenty people, led by four greyhounds, followed carefully, controlling their speed.

"When shall we go up?"

The commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, dressed in a scarlet robe, spoke coldly.

Big Black, riding a large brown horse, pointed ahead and said, "Big Brother will give us a signal."

There was some blood on Qin Yuanyao's cheek that hadn't been wiped dry.

Holding the reins tightly, Dahei's reply only fueled his growing anxiety.

To the left of the black horse beneath her hung a human head—the head of the leader of the rebellion.

When she arrived with her men, Lü Jin was already dead, Zheng Ming was barely alive, and most of the others were dead. It took her and her men quite a while to deal with the twenty cavalrymen.

Before he died, Lü Jin released Jinbao, a greyhound, into the mountains, and that's how the dog survived.

When she arrived at the place Zheng Ming had mentioned.

The scene was empty, except for some dead horses and corpses.

However, the four greyhounds still managed to smell it.

They had just disappeared into the nearby bushes.

A figure carrying a musket emerged from the jungle, brushed off the leaves covering him, and greeted her with a smile: "Commander Qin, um... Vice Commander Qin... ha... I thought it was some kind of rebel... what a waste of our ambush..."

Seeing that the person seemed to have stood up unharmed, Qin Yuanyao's tense body suddenly relaxed, and she felt much relieved.

Shangguan Xiu was both surprised and delighted. He immediately jumped off his horse and ran over with a smile.

A white figure was faster than him. Miss Gongsun rushed into the woods, hugged the man and cried for a long time, calling out something like "Master, Master," "You're alive, you're alive..." and so on.

Shangguan Xiu and she exchanged a glance, then both turned their heads away, pretending not to see each other.

The man wiped away his female disciple's tears and then let her stay with the few surviving servants.

He immediately mounted his white horse and said, "Qin Qianshi, Shangguan Qianhu, I have a plan..."

Her first instinct upon hearing this was to refuse.

After all, this person's safety is the most important thing.

She can lead her men to chase after those thieves.

The other party shook his head, saying that if anyone else went after them, they wouldn't return to their lair. Only if he went alone would they try to lure him back to their lair.

The cold, white moonlight shone on the beach, making the sand glisten.

Qin Yuanyao sighed inwardly.

The horseshoes wrapped in cloth made little sound on the sand, so the thieves ahead of the white horse would not be able to spot them.

Jinbao chased after them, shouting whenever something happened.

With four greyhounds at their disposal, they were certain they wouldn't lose track of the other party based on the scent left by the sachet.

only……

Qin Yuanyao's eyes were bloodshot, her face was pale, and she was filled with regret.

What she's most worried about now is that when the thieves turn around and chase after them, they won't be able to react in time, and the prince consort will be put in a deadly situation again. At that time... it will be too late to regret it.

Shangguan Xiu rode on a yellow horse and glanced at the worried, dark-skinned woman.

"Don't worry, the great scholar values ​​his life more than anyone else; he definitely knows what he's doing."

Qin Yuanyao took a breath, came to her senses, and didn't say much, only whispering for everyone to prepare for a fight.

The moon gradually climbed from the mountaintop to its zenith.

A white horse, with its graceful form, left hoofprints on the beach.

Leisurely followed about forty or fifty feet ahead of eight or nine riders.

Ning Nan sat on his white horse, watching the rising black smoke in the distance, his thoughts becoming complicated.

He stroked the white horse's mane, and the horse's hooves pounded even faster.

This white horse was a fine steed given to him by his uncle, and it was much lighter than the big black horse, so catching up with it or escaping it would not be difficult for him.

However, he remained constantly on edge, always wary of the enemy suddenly attacking from the side.

After using muskets and Fan Shiwei to scare the group away, Dahei said that someone was plotting a rebellion. He and Zheng Ming from the Tang Prince's Mansion were surrounded by twenty horsemen, who could attack at any moment.

Ning Nan was startled when he recalled the loud roar. He quickly ordered his four servants to carry the seriously injured Er Lai and Da Hei onto Niu Er Tang Shan, and also led the white horse into the woods.

He then ducked into the nearby bushes for cover, ready to fire a shot to intimidate the enemy should they search the area.

Never thought.

The sounds of fighting were actually because Qin Yuanyao and her group had arrived.

He immediately felt relieved.

Qin Yuanyao led a group of skilled Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards), who, together with the guards from the Tang Prince's residence, dealt with the twenty riders, killing some and having them surrender. Qin Yuanyao even personally took the head of the general in charge.

There were eight surrendered soldiers in total. Qin Yuanyao ordered her men to cut off their forefeet and big toes, and then had the surviving guards from the Tang Prince's mansion keep watch over them while she brought all the other men over.