Chapter 137
Chapter 137
When Xiao Jingmo heard Xiao Che was leaving the valley, he immediately brought him a pouch.
“Father, this is the token belonging to the head of the Qi Family that we found outside the Capital, along with his family letter. It may prove useful. Take it with you this time. The situation outside is unclear, and one more friend means one fewer enemy.”
Xiao Che put the pouch away. This journey would likely require him to deal with the forces outside. He did not know when he would return, but everything in the valley was now on the right track. With Xiao Jingmo overseeing matters and Old Han and Xu Huaijin assisting him, no serious trouble would arise.
It was already mid-June, and the world outside had long since turned lush and green.
They could no longer travel through Black Pine Forest by sled, but fortunately, they had horses and ox carts.
Xiao Che divided the group into two parties.
Xie Chengyan would lead the transport team and deliver grain from the valley to his estate.
Xiao Che, Ye Qi, the Shadow Guards, and Jin Bao would ride ahead on horseback.
Time was critical. They did not know whether Xiao Jingxing had been captured or was still maneuvering against the enemy.
Therefore, as soon as all arrangements were complete, Xiao Che left the valley first to rescue him.
Traveling light, the group journeyed by day and camped at night, finally emerging from Black Pine Forest seven days later.
The instant they left the forest, the map in Jin Bao’s mind vanished.
Jin Bao found the change difficult to adjust to.
For the past several months, she had spent every day viewing all of Black Pine Forest from a godlike perspective. Every danger and opportunity lay within her grasp. Now that she had left the mountains, she felt blind and unable to help.
“Daddy, Mappy in Baby’s head is gone. Baby can’t find Eldest Brother. What should Baby do?”
Jin Bao blamed herself. If only she could see the entire Northern Frontier, she could quickly locate Eldest Brother and rescue him as soon as possible.
Eldest Brother had not even visited their new home yet.
Xiao Che lowered his head and stroked Jin Bao’s little face.
“Daughter, don’t be afraid. Daddy is here. Daddy will find your Eldest Brother.”
“Valley Master, look. There are signs of fighting over there, along with the secret mark Ye Yi left behind.”
Ye Qi quickly rode over and reported urgently.
Xiao Che immediately spurred his horse forward. Sure enough, he found blood on a rock, marks left by sharp weapons, and an arrow carved into a nearby tree trunk.
Xiao Che looked in the direction of the arrow. To his surprise, it pointed toward Bei’an City.
Xiao Che could not help frowning.
“Bei’an City! Could it be Prince Cheng’s men?”
Xiao Che had not visited Bei’an City since arriving in the Northern Frontier.
It seemed he had no choice but to go this time.
While Jin Bao curiously examined the arrow on the tree, a vision suddenly appeared before her.
She saw Xiao Jingxing unconscious inside a carriage, with a man in black sitting on either side of him.
Shackles encircled Xiao Jingxing’s wrists, and iron chains bound his ankles.
Jin Bao had not seen Eldest Brother for nearly a year. Now that her vision revealed him in such a state, fury surged through her. Her large eyes turned red, and she forcibly held back the tears threatening to fall.
She closed her eyes and sensed the information transmitted by the plants along the road.
The galloping horses raised clouds of dust. Sand swirled through the air and disheveled Jin Bao’s pigtails, but she seemed not to notice. She lifted her little face as the awareness of plants in every direction converged within her mind.
When Jin Bao opened her eyes again, her gaze was perfectly clear.
“Daddy, go that way.”
Jin Bao’s voice was resolute and carried a trace of urgency.
Although she did not possess a map of the Northern Frontier, she had gathered the awareness of all the plants, forming a hand-drawn map in her mind.
She could clearly sense Xiao Jingxing’s current location.
Therefore, she pointed out a side road to Xiao Che. It would provide a shortcut, and she hoped they still had time to intercept the carriage.
Xiao Che did not understand why Jin Bao pointed in that direction. Although it also led toward Bei’an City, it was not an official road, and they had never traveled it. What if they became lost midway?
“Daughter, why should we go that way?”
“Daddy, trust Baby. They captured Eldest Brother. Baby saw their carriage. If we take the shortcut, we can catch them and save Eldest Brother.”
Xiao Che did not hesitate in the slightest. He immediately changed direction and followed the route Jin Bao indicated.
Along the way, Jin Bao seemed to possess eyes that could see through everything. She guided them around rivers and valleys along an unobstructed route. Not only did they avoid getting lost, they returned to the official road in half the usual time.
But Xiao Che noticed something peculiar: Jin Bao seemed to have kept her eyes closed throughout the journey.
How had she done it?
Had another map of the Northern Frontier appeared in her mind?
Xiao Che could not understand, but this was not the time to ask.
He had sensed the earth trembling.
There was only one possible explanation: an army of thousands was approaching.
“Daughter, has your Eldest Brother arrived yet?”
Jin Bao shook her head. “Not yet. But Daddy, lots of people on horses seem to be coming toward us. Should we run away?”
There was still time to flee. If they returned along the path they had just taken, the other party would not discover them.
But Xiao Che looked toward the opposite end of the road. Xiao Jingxing should arrive soon.
If he chose to rescue his eldest son, however, their entire group would be surrounded. Including Ye Qi, he had only eleven men, certainly no match for the approaching force.
He had to devise another plan.
“Retreat for now.”
Xiao Che turned his horse and swiftly disappeared down the side road. He and Ye Qi’s group stood hidden in the woods, watching a column approach along the official road.
They were all cavalry, numbering roughly one thousand.
Before long, they met a carriage. Jin Bao’s sharp eyes recognized it as the one carrying Eldest Brother.
The moment Xiao Che looked away, Jin Bao jumped directly from her horse.
“Daughter, what are you doing?”
Xiao Che also dismounted and called out in a low voice.
But Jin Bao was simply too fast.
“Daddy, Baby is going to save Eldest Brother. You and Uncle Ye Qi shouldn’t follow. Baby can do it alone.”
How could Xiao Che allow Jin Bao to risk herself alone?
The last time she single-handedly faced more than two thousand people, she fainted immediately afterward. If she lost consciousness again and encountered even one enemy who escaped the attack, everything would be over.
Xiao Che waved a hand, and the ten Shadow Guards immediately moved out in silence.
On the official road, the cavalry had already met the carriage.
“Commandant Liu, you’ve finally arrived.”
When the driver saw the approaching men, he jumped directly from the carriage.
The man called Commandant Liu dismounted, used the scabbard of his sword to lift the carriage curtain, and glanced inside.
“This is Xiao Che’s eldest son? Xiao Jingxing?”
“That’s right. He matches the portrait. We’ve already wounded him and put him in shackles.”
Commandant Liu nodded and lowered the curtain.