Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Chapter 162 Little Return North

Like a startled fish, the green-canopied carriage sped through the intricate alleys of Jiankang City at night. The sound of the wheels rolling over the bluestone slabs was amplified in the quiet alleys, but was quickly drowned out by the commotion, the sound of gongs and drums coming from the direction of the Zhou residence in the distance, and the gradually rising chaotic footsteps and shouts converging from different directions.

Inside the carriage, the light was dim. Su Xiaoxiao gripped Yun'er's hand tightly, her fingertips icy cold. She could feel the carriage's frequent and abrupt turns, hear the guards' low, rapid commands outside, and the occasional soft scraping of swords being drawn. Each brief pause as they approached the alleyway, each acceleration and turn, made her heart leap into her throat. Zhou Tong's fury and the order for a city-wide manhunt had clearly spread rapidly.

"Girl, can we... escape?" Yun'er's voice trembled, and her face was pale.

Su Xiaoxiao didn't answer, but stared intently through the small gap at the front of the carriage at the blurry light and shadows and building outlines rushing past. She quickly calculated the direction in her mind; the carriage didn't seem to be heading straight for a city gate, but rather meandering towards the Qinhuai River. Sure enough, after about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the carriage slowed down and entered an area filled with the fishy smell of the river and a faint musty odor. The surroundings became noticeably quieter, with only the gurgling of water and the faint sounds of distant market noise.

The carriage came to a stop. The gray-clad coachman quickly jumped down and whispered, "Miss Su, please get off the carriage and transfer to a boat."

The car door opened, revealing a secluded little dock. The pier was dilapidated, with only two or three small, covered boats moored there, gently rocking on the dark water. Besides the driver, four men in gray stood silently by, their eyes warily scanning the river and the road ahead.

Su Xiaoxiao didn't dare delay and quickly got out of the carriage with Yun'er's help. The early summer night breeze, carrying moisture, made her shiver slightly. Just then, she faintly heard the sound of horses' hooves and the light of torches in the distance, as if pursuers were approaching in this direction!

"Hurry!" The gray-clad man at the head of the group said urgently but calmly, gesturing with his hand, "Get on the middle boat! Lie down and don't make a sound!"

Su Xiaoxiao and Yun'er practically stumbled onto the most unassuming-looking awning boat. The cabin was low and cramped, filled with the smell of fish and seaweed. They obediently curled up and lay down, and immediately someone covered them with several old fishing nets that smelled the same and bundles of wet seaweed. The light was completely cut off, leaving only oppressive darkness and the strong odor.

Almost the instant they hid, footsteps and shouts came from outside the dock: "This way! Search carefully! Don't miss a single boat!"

"Sir, sir, what's going on in the middle of the night?" A hoarse, aged voice rang out, sounding like that of a boatman.

"Enough nonsense! A wanted criminal has escaped from General Zhou's residence! Search the entire city! Bring everyone out! Open the ship's cabins!"

Su Xiaoxiao held her breath, able to feel Yun'er trembling violently beside her. Her own heart was pounding like a drum, almost bursting out of her chest. The fishing net and seaweed covering her were heavy, damp, and had a pungent smell, but she dared not move.

Outside, the sounds of other boats being searched, questions being asked, and the boatmen's hesitant responses could be heard. The footsteps grew closer.

"Open the ship!"

"Sir, this boat is what I use for fishing during the day. It just came back, and it's old and dirty. There's nothing to see here..." The old boatman's voice was obsequious.

"Stop talking nonsense! Lift the awning!"

The old straw curtain at the hatch was suddenly lifted, letting in a little torchlight. Su Xiaoxiao kept her eyes tightly shut, her muscles tense. She could feel the scrutinizing gaze sweeping across the cabin, lingering for a moment on the fishing nets and seaweed.

"Damn it, it stinks! What bad luck!" The soldiers searching the area were clearly overwhelmed by the strong fishy smell. They cursed and pulled down the curtain. "Let's go! Let's check over there!"

The footsteps faded into the distance. After a while, the cabin rocked gently, and someone boarded the boat. It was the old boatman and another man in gray.

"Let's go," the man in gray said in a low voice, lifting part of the covering. "Miss Su, please forgive us. We're safe for now, we'll leave port immediately."

With skillful maneuvering, the small boat silently glided away from the dock and merged into the sparse nighttime flow of boats on the main channel of the Qinhuai River. Instead of going downstream to the nearest city gate sluice, they went upstream for a while, then turned into a narrower tributary, meandering and twisting, deliberately choosing the dark and deserted waterway.

Only when the sounds of pursuers faded away, leaving only the gentle lapping of oars and the sound of flowing water, did Su Xiaoxiao, at the gray-clad man's prompting, carefully sit up and remove the uncomfortable covering she was wearing. She greedily inhaled a few breaths of the slightly fresher air, and by the faint light filtering through the gaps in the cabin, gazed at the dark river and the indistinct outlines of houses on both banks. The bright lights and bustling city of Jiankang were gradually being left behind, becoming distant and unreal.

"Who...who are you?" Su Xiaoxiao finally asked the question that had been lingering in her mind for so long, her voice slightly hoarse from tension and suppressed emotions.

The gray-clad man at the head of the boat, sitting at the bow, turned around upon hearing this. His face was obscured by the shadows, but his tone softened slightly: "Miss Su, there's no need to worry. We are here on orders to protect you and help you escape the dangers of Jiankang. As for where we are going and who we are meeting, you will know when the time comes. You only need to know that the person who invited you has no ill intentions and has long admired your talent."

"Admiring my talent?" Su Xiaoxiao's heart trembled slightly. So, it was because of Governor Wang's matter? The other party was able to uncover such a secret, and risked everything to infiltrate Jiankang and snatch someone from Zhou Tong… This determination and power were far beyond that of an ordinary force. Northern Guest… the Northern Lands… a name almost leaped out.

She didn't press the matter further. Now that she had embarked on this unknown journey, any remaining questions could only be left for the future. She simply tidied her slightly disheveled clothes and hair, regaining her usual calm demeanor, though her heart was still churning with turmoil.

The small boat navigated the labyrinthine waterways for most of the night, finally reaching the shore at the edge of a desolate reed bed just before dawn. This was the far outskirts of Jiankang, a place rarely visited by humans.

On the shore, several men were already waiting with horses. The leader was an exceptionally tall and robust man. Even in ordinary merchant's clothing, he could not hide the fierce and valiant air of a battlefield warrior. With a full beard and eyes like lightning, he was none other than Dian Xiong, who had been waiting there to meet them!

Seeing the small boat dock, Dian Xiong strode forward. He looked Su Xiaoxiao up and down with the help of the man in gray, and seeing that although she looked slightly haggard, she was unharmed, he breathed a sigh of relief and said in a deep voice, "You're Su Xiaoxiao? I've finally caught you! Are you alright?"

Su Xiaoxiao looked up and met Dian Xiong's extremely imposing gaze and overwhelming aura of a rough and powerful warrior, and her heart skipped a beat. This man was definitely not from Jiangnan; that murderous aura could only be possessed by a true warrior who had experienced mountains of corpses and seas of blood. She composed herself and curtsied, "Thank you for saving me, brave warrior. I am unharmed."

"It's good that you're alright!" Dian Xiong waved his hand, seemingly impatient with the formalities. "Hurry up and mount your horse! We can't stay here any longer; Zhou Tong's henchmen might search here at any time! We need to head north quickly!"

Immediately, two docile mares were brought over. Although Su Xiaoxiao was literate, she wasn't skilled at riding, but she couldn't worry about that now. With the help of Yun'er and a man in gray, she managed to climb onto the horses. Dian Xiong mounted an exceptionally magnificent black horse and whispered the command, "Let's go! Proceed quickly along the planned route!"

The group, including the gray-clad action team and some of the elites brought by Dian Xiong, escorted Su Xiaoxiao and her servants, quickly leaving the riverbank and disappearing into the misty wilderness path, speeding northward.

The days that followed were unprecedentedly turbulent and stressful for Su Xiaoxiao. They avoided official roads and main streets, taking only mountain trails, sometimes traveling day and night, and sometimes needing to hide and evade potential pursuers or checks. Although Dian Xiong was rough and unruly, under Jia Wen's repeated instructions and the guidance of the supervisory office, he acted quite cautiously, changing his route frequently.

Su Xiaoxiao silently observed everything. She saw that these guards were disciplined and obeyed orders without question; she saw that although their weapons and horse tack were disguised, their quality far surpassed that of ordinary soldiers in Jiangnan; she saw that their methods of setting up camp, conducting reconnaissance, and keeping watch in the field were skillful and professional. In particular, General Dian, who seemed rough and uncouth, was actually meticulous, extremely attentive to the route and safety, and strictly disciplined his subordinates. Throughout the journey, he treated her and her maid with great courtesy and did not offend them in the slightest.

All of this made her suspicions clearer and more unbelievable. Could it really be that Chen Xing, the "Star Lord" who had recently pacified Xiliang and whose power shook the north, had sent someone from afar to "invite" a woman like her, born into a life of prostitution? What was his true intention? Was it really just for his so-called "economic talent"?

As they continued north, the scenery gradually changed. The gentle water towns of Jiangnan were left behind, and the vast plains of the Central Plains unfolded before them. Although the scars of war were still visible in many places, signs of restoration of order and reclamation of fields gradually appeared. Especially after entering the area controlled by the legendary Starfire Fortress, Su Xiaoxiao keenly noticed that the villages here seemed more vibrant, the roads were better repaired, and while merchants and travelers were cautious, they did not show much fear.

On this day, the group finally crossed the Yellow River and entered the northern lands. The scenery before them was completely different from that of the south; the sky was high and the land was vast, and the landscape was desolate. Su Xiaoxiao rode on her horse, looking at this unfamiliar yet solid land, her heart filled with mixed feelings. There was relief at escaping danger, uncertainty about the future, and a faint expectation that even she herself was unaware of.