Chapter 2787 - 2786: Ambush on the Mountain Path

Chapter 2787: Chapter 2786: Ambush on the Mountain Path

The eunuch looked at Song Gongming like he was observing a dog, sneering coldly at him.

He instructed Song Gongming, "Duke of Qi, eat quickly! These meat buns were just steamed, they won’t taste good cold."

Song Gongming reached out with a trembling hand, picked up a bun, and swallowed it with reddened eyes.

Outside, the prison head’s stomach churned as he watched and he immediately turned around, holding onto the courtyard wall as he dry-heaved.

Song Gongming forced the bun down his throat, swallowed one, and picked up the second, continuing to gulp them down frantically, as if driven to madness.

"The Duke of Qi is truly loyal to Your Majesty!"

The eunuch clicked his tongue in delight, turned with the Imperial Army behind him, and left.

After he departed, Song Gongming’s stomach roiled, and he followed by vomiting all the buns onto the ground.

He cradled the vomit in his hands, his throat hoarse as he howled, "Son! Father is sorry, so sorry for you!"

On Liangshan Island, Song Yuchan, who was in meditation, suddenly opened her eyes.

She felt uneasy and went to the mountain peak where Long Fei usually instructed her, caught a Dragon Brocade Carp from the river there, and began roasting it while drinking.

After a short while, someone approached with a step like the wind, landing beside her, causing the campfire to flicker wildly.

Song Yuchan hurriedly put away the drinks, smiled mischievously at the person, and said, "Master, why have you come?"

Long Fei extended his hand to sit beside her and said, "So young, yet you aren’t behaving?"

Hee hee!

Embarrassed, Song Yuchan handed over the wine jug and honestly said to Long Fei, "I was meditating just now but felt uneasy all along. I don’t know what happened."

Long Fei told her, "It concerns your father."

Song Yuchan exclaimed excitedly, "Ah? Master, what do you know?"

Long Fei replied, "Your father’s calamity is over; he will soon return to Qizhou. However, there are still dangers on his way. You and Yan Qing should leave the mountain to guide him, and on the way to Yang Valley Pass, call on Wu Song and bring him along."

"Disciple understands!"

Song Yuchan happily jumped up, saluted Long Fei, handed him the half-cooked roasted fish, and bounced down the mountain.

Watching her go, Long Fei furrowed his brow and continued roasting the fish over the fire.

Before dawn, Song Yuchan, with Yan Qing, had already hurried to Yang Valley Pass.

They arrived familiarly at the Commander-in-chief’s Residence, where a young boy was practicing swordsmanship inside.

He wielded a tiger-head saber with great vigor, leaving not a blade of grass where the blade’s energy passed.

Standing at the doorway, Song Yuchan couldn’t help but praise, "Excellent swordplay!"

The young boy sheathed his sword, stared in surprise at them, and shouted, "Are you Yuchan Junior Sister?"

Back when dealing with those Demonic Spirits on Dragon Head Mountain, Song Yuchan was present with Little Kirin and others.

Wu Song recognized her, surprised to see she had grown into a young lady.

Song Yuchan was only six, still a child, but growing rapidly.

She saluted with Yan Qing upon entering and greeted Wu Song.

Wu Song invited them into the guest hall, ordered tea to be served, and asked them, "Weren’t you cultivating on Liangshan Island? How do you have time to visit my Yang Valley Pass?"

Song Yuchan told him, "My father got into some trouble in the Capital City and was imprisoned by the Emperor. Now his calamity is cleared, and Master wants us to go to the Capital City to fetch him. He said to bring you along when we got here."

Wu Song happily replied, "You’re just in time, I was planning a journey anyway!"

He readily agreed and asked someone to summon his elder brother, Wu Zhi, to share Song Yuchan’s mission.

Wu Zhi agreed, saying, "Brother Gongming has done great kindness to our family; you should risk your life to protect him."

"Rest assured, brother, I will ensure Brother Gongming’s safety!"

Wu Song cupped his hands in a salute, bid farewell to his brother, and headed south with Song Yuchan and Yan Qing.

He asked Song Yuchan, "Have you had any contact with your father?"

Song Yuchan shook her head.

Wu Song said, "Then what if we arrive and your father has already left?"

"That’s true!"

Song Yuchan scratched her head and asked Yan Qing, "Brother Yan, do you have any ideas?"

Yan Qing said, "It’s simple. I’ve already reviewed the maps of here and the Capital City. The Duke of Qi will have to pass through Yang Valley Pass to return to Qizhou. The most direct route from the Capital City to Yang Valley Pass must pass through Green Wind Mountain. We should head south to meet him at Green Wind Mountain. Moving at the Duke’s pace, we should encounter him there."

"Brilliant!"

Song Yuchan praised Yan Qing, thinking that bringing him along was the right choice.

The three of them quickly set off for Green Wind Mountain, where, indeed, Song Gongming was taking this route.

Soon after leaving the Capital City, Cai Jing received the news.

Grand Tutor Cai’s face was somber, shocked that Gao Qiu would dare betray him and conspire with Tong Guan to release Song Gongming?

Cai Jing surmised that if Song Gongming returned to Qizhou, he would surely rebel.

He immediately sent assassins to pursue Song Gongming, with orders to kill him before he reached Qizhou.

Song Gongming had arrived with his eldest son, Song Shiwen.

Now returning, he was alone.

He held a jar, wrapped in white cloth, tied around his neck.

The carriage had no roof; under the scorching sun, he traveled alone, becoming sun-blackened and dizzy.

He left without a penny.

The prison head had provided him with silver and equipped him with this carriage and horse.

Gazing ahead, Song Gongming’s face was bleak, uncertain of the path he should take forward.

Your Majesty’s way of ruling increasingly resembles that of King Zhou.

Bandits are rampant, and the people are destitute.

He questioned whether such a Great Song needed his loyal protection.

He drove the carriage for three days and nights, encountering only one tea shed along the way, where he spent money on a bag of baked cakes.

Sustained by this, he reached the foot of Green Wind Mountain.

The mountain was steep and densely forested.

Only a narrow path led up, barely accommodating a carriage wheel.

The carriage wobbled, crept up the rut.

Halfway up, black-clad individuals leaped down from the trees on both sides, brandishing steel knives to encircle Song Gongming.

The leader sneered and shouted, "Are you the Duke of Qi?"

Song Gongming glanced at them, clasped his hands in salute, and asked, "Good sirs, are you seeking money?"

The black-clad men scolded, "Who wants your filthy money? Do you think you can escape after offending Grand Tutor Cai? We’re here under the Grand Tutor’s orders to take your life. Don’t blame us in the Netherworld. If you seek revenge, look for Grand Tutor Cai!"

Song Gongming closed his eyes, resolved, "My life ends here!"

These days, both his body and spirit had suffered immense trauma, reduced to a living corpse, devoid of any will to live.

Now, the assassins gave him an end, whatever it might be.

He closed his eyes, ready to accept his fate.

A bright blade flashed before him, yet did not strike, and he heard the surrounding assassins scream.

He opened his eyes suddenly, seeing three men wielding various weapons approaching from behind the assassins.

One man retrieved a short blade, having just thrown it to slash all the assassins’ throats.

Behind them, a group of small henchmen followed.

Approaching, they kicked the assassins and cursed, "Bah, bastards, eyes open, daring to encroach on our Green Wind Stockade’s business."

Song Gongming thought he was doomed, having escaped the tiger only to encounter wolves.

Judging by their attire, these people were clearly mountain bandits!