Hua Wu Que was about to speak when he heard the sound of hurried footsteps. Turning around, he saw the door flung open, revealing a man covered in blood with a feathered arrow protruding from his back. He rushed in, seeing A Jiu, and exclaimed in a panic, “Miss, the Qing dogs somehow got wind of our new hiding place and have sent heavy troops to surround it. Chief Chen received a secret message and took the remaining brothers to safety outside the city. He specifically sent me to tell you to leave quickly, as time is of the essence!” He was so badly injured that he was only sustained by sheer willpower. Having completed his task, he could no longer hold on and collapsed to the ground.
A Jiu’s face turned pale. She was about to step forward to check on him when she heard a commotion downstairs. Yuan Meng, the innkeeper, was shouting angrily in protest.
“That rebel ran in here! Search the place!” Dulong was excited. The Emperor was about to take the throne. Although he couldn’t compare to Xiao Chunzi’s favor, he was already a close confidante of the Emperor. Having successfully completed the Emperor’s mission, he was confident of receiving a handsome reward. Ignoring the innkeeper’s objections, he pushed his way in and shouted to those behind him.
Most of his men were Bannermen, well-informed. Knowing that their leader was on the verge of great success, they were eager to impress him. They disregarded the Yuan Meng’s power and formed a line, ready to search the upper floors. In their haste, they bumped into some Yuan Meng merchants. These merchants, accustomed to the subservient behavior of these soldiers of a tributary state, were outraged at this disrespect. Confident that the soldiers wouldn’t dare harm them, they pulled on the Bannermen, creating a chaotic scene downstairs.
Seeing that the Qing soldiers couldn’t get up, Hua Wu Que rose and walked to the window. He gently opened it and looked out. Below, there were several layers of soldiers, tightly packed, armed with spears and shields, protecting the archers who were waiting outside. In the distance, reinforcements were arriving.
A Jiu saw the grim look on his face and rushed to his side. She followed his gaze and saw the scene outside. Her heart sank. It felt like there was no escape this time. Gathering her thoughts, she turned to Hua Wu Que and said seriously, “Master Hua, this is all my fault. I’ll go out and reveal my identity. I’ll fight to the death. You take this opportunity to escape from the other side. The Qing dog official will definitely not care about you once he knows who I am.”
She was already in despair. Seeing that Hua Wu Que was trapped by the army because of her, she resolved to protect him. A homeless and stateless princess, she shouldn’t have been alive in this world.
Seeing her resolute and fearless expression, Hua Wu Que felt a sense of relief. This was the true Jiu Nan Shi Tai. Where was the girl who resembled Lin Daiyu? She was clearly acting!
He walked over, pulled her into his arms and said softly, “Although Hua Wu Que isn’t a hero, I wouldn’t let a beautiful princess like you sacrifice herself for me. Don’t worry, this is nothing. It’s nothing I can’t handle!” He grabbed a table nearby and threw it out the window. He whispered, “Hold on!”
A Jiu was surprised when Hua Wu Que suddenly held her. She instinctively wanted to resist, thinking that he was being inappropriate in this situation. But then she noticed his actions and knew he had a plan. Hearing the confident tone in his voice, she knew he wasn’t trying to deceive her. Without thinking further, she tightly wrapped her arms around his waist.
Hua Wu Que was pleased with the princess’ understanding. He put his arm around her slender waist, placed his other hand on the windowsill and used a little force. He leaped onto the window ledge, surveyed the Qing soldiers below, and laughed heartily, “Hua Wu Que is the one who killed Ao Bai! Here is Hua’s head! If you have the guts, come and take it!” He stepped out and flew towards the other side.
The Qing troops below heard his words. A murmur erupted from the crowd. They knew that capturing his head would bring them riches and high positions. They disregarded the formation and scattered in pursuit of Hua Wu Que. The archers, squatting in the crowd, were jostled to and fro, unable to draw their bows and shoot.
Dulong, hearing the commotion, rushed out of the inn. Seeing the chaotic scene, he roared in anger. However, these Qing soldiers were all Bannermen, with ancestors who were loyal subjects of the Qing dynasty. Many of them had relatives serving in the court. In their eagerness to claim the credit, they disregarded the Emperor’s favorite. Those with deeper cunning were already thinking that if they got this great accomplishment, they would surely replace him. They naturally wouldn’t help.
Hua Wu Que saw his plan had worked. He found a large tree, steadied himself, turned around and looked at the pursuing Qing soldiers. He laughed lightly, “Princess A Jiu, look at these Eight Banners soldiers. They’ve been in the Central Plains for so long, they’re no longer as fierce as they were. As long as you can regain your strength, return to your homeland, select capable people, seize power, and cultivate your strength, you will not be without a fighting chance in the future!”
His laughter was bold and carefree. Seeing that some Qing soldiers were getting close, he plucked a few leaves from a branch and threw them at them. In a moment, a number of soldiers fell to the ground.