As dawn approached, a thin mist rose between the mountains.

A carriage adorned with double banners and double emblems burst forth from the mist, the crimson bamboo joints reflecting the moonlight, the robust tails of yaks swaying back and forth.

The driver seemed to be asleep, his head bobbing up and down.

From both sides of the mountain path came rustling sounds, footsteps on grass, sounding a bit like bears, yet also like wolves.

Gradually, these rustling sounds grew in number and density. Shadows paralleled the carriage on both sides of the forest, leaping and darting through the woods.

But the forest was dim, making it impossible to discern what exactly was trailing the carriage.

Until a teeth-clenching creak sounded, the sound of sinew bowstrings drawing a horn bow, straining under weight.

The next moment.

A clear bird call pierced through the mist, and all shadows simultaneously released their bowstrings.

Twang!

Twang!

Twang!

Countless bowstring releases echoed, the strings vibrating in the moonlight, sending out a spray of silvery dust.

Iron arrows shot off the strings, aiming straight for the carriage below the mountain.

The first arrow pierced through the neck of the sleeping driver, embedding diagonally into the side of the carriage.

The second arrow struck the wheel hub of the carriage, shattering the wooden wheel into pieces, and the entire carriage tipped over, leaving just one wheel wobbling awkwardly.

The third arrow hit the neck of the horse, and with a cry, the horse collapsed, bringing the entire carriage down with it.

Then came dozens more arrows.

Amidst the sharp whistling of arrows, iron arrows shot through the gaps in the trees, instantly reducing the carriage to splinters, until its original shape was unrecognizable.

In the swirling dust, the forest returned to silence.

The assassins on the mountain held their breath, peering through the trees to survey the carriage.

Not until two more bird calls sounded did a dozen figures rush out of the woods, standing silently beside the carriage, blocking all escape routes.

The assassins wore black leather armor, their faces obscured in lurking shadows, all were Life-catcher Generals from Baidadan City.

One of them, a Centurion with a long pheasant tail attached to his helmet, approached cautiously, lifting the corpse lying on the ground.

Upon seeing the face of the corpse, he murmured, "Jiang Xiansheng?"

He tossed Jiang Xiansheng's body to the ground like a sack, drew his waist knife, and slashed out a blade of brilliant light, striking the already collapsed carriage, splintering the wooden boards.

But beneath the wreckage of the carriage, there was no one.

The Centurion said coldly, "We've lost them."

He turned to look back at the mountain road: "They took to the mountain road, so they had to abandon the carriage. Two among them are ordinary people, and there are only three suitable paths for them: White Temple Shoal, Xiaoer Terrace, and Lao Zhang Gou Forest."

One Life-catcher General said, "It's not White Temple Shoal. I checked when I came; the ground is flat with poplar catkin, not like it's been walked on."

Another Life-catcher General added, "Nor is it Xiaoer Terrace. South of Xiaoer Terrace, there's a fast river; they couldn't cross that with Princess Liyang."

Only Lao Zhang Gou Forest remains.

The Centurion barked, "Pursue!"

Thirty-six Life-catcher Generals plunged back into the misty forest, heading straight towards Lao Zhang Gou Forest.

...

...

Lao Zhang Gou Forest.

Zhang Xia staggered along the rugged mountain path, one foot high, one foot low: "From Baidadan City to Chongli Pass, it's two hundred and forty li on the official road. But said official road, neither the Jing Dynasty nor our dynasty has maintained it well, making it difficult to traverse. Carriages can travel at most thirty li before the wheels break; officials traveling far must have servants who can repair wheels... I can, but in this desolate wilderness, there are no handy tools at all."

Princess Liyang, breathless from walking, couldn't help but praise: "Second Miss Zhang, you even know this, amazing. In Shangjing, I've heard of Zhang Zhuo, Lord Zhang, renowned for his eidetic memory, one of the most promising individuals to enter the cabinet in recent years. Yet, I didn't expect to meet the second Miss Zhang here, nor did I expect her to be a heroine among women."

Xiao Man opened his mouth, turned to the little monk helplessly: "These used to be my lines!"

The little monk earnestly replied, "Your praise isn't as pleasant as hers."

Xiao Man twisted the little monk's waist with a burst of strength.

The little monk gritted his teeth, inhaling sharply.

Zhang Xia led the way ahead, brushing aside obstructing branches, continuing: "When we came, we led a mule team, traveling at most fifteen li per day. But on the return journey, if we hurry, traveling seventy li a day swiftly, we can reach Chongli Pass in three or four days... But the most trying are these three or four days, Your Highness and the little monk will have to endure some hardship."

Princess Liyang took off the ornament from her startlingly beautiful hair, letting her hair fall loose.

She then tied it up neatly with a hairpin, nonchalantly saying: "Don't worry, survival depends on skill, and life on fate. If we're still complaining of hardship and fatigue on the road to save our own lives, it'd be too foolish."

Xiao Man glanced at her: "No thoughts of escaping?"

Princess Liyang smiled gently: "Why run? Now I am an emissary traveling alone to the Southern Dynasty. If I can traverse mountains and rivers to the Southern Dynasty with my token intact, and return to the Jing Dynasty alive with Yuan Cheng, it will be a feat comparable to Lu Jin's assassination of the Minister of Revenue. Hereafter, who can trouble me? Who dares to force me into marriage alliances?"

Zhang Xia turned to look at Princess Liyang, curiously asking: "I've long heard you're the Emperor of the Jing Dynasty's favorite princess. Why were you sent for a marriage alliance?"

Under the moonlight, Princess Liyang's expression grew increasingly cold: "In the emperor's family, there is no such thing as who is most favored. My mother is the sister of Yuan Zhen, the Great Commander of the Heavenly Strategy Army and the Military Governor of Longyou Road. Early on, everyone knew that father relied on Yuan Zhen, so I became known as the most favored princess. But three years ago, when they forced me to marry Lu Jin, I kept a few lovers to disgrace myself, becoming the laughingstock of the heavenly family."

Princess Liyang looked up at Zhang Xia: "Now that my uncle Yuan Zhen has just died, my mother is immediately neglected, and I am to be sent to the Ning Dynasty for a marriage alliance. My uncle devotedly served my father for decades, yet only half a year after his death, it has already come to this... So, what use is the emperor's favor?"

Chen Ji was stunned; he hadn't known that Princess Liyang was Yuan Zhen's niece.

No wonder Princess Liyang had the ability to stir up the winds and clouds in Shangjing, no wonder the elite troops of Longyou Road would risk their lives to save her, presumably all former subordinates of Yuan Zhen.

Chen Ji said quietly, "Does Your Highness want to avenge your uncle?"

Princess Liyang smiled slightly: "Mr. Chen, hatred does not make one strong; hatred only keeps one in the past. I cannot do that, I have to move forward, look ahead, otherwise, what will happen to my brother? My mother often talks about avenging my uncle, but then what? She hasn't thought it through."

Xiao Man mumbled: "But he is your uncle, you are related by blood."

Princess Liyang shook her head: "Born into the emperor's family, I never believed in blood ties."

Xiao Man was puzzled: "Then what do you believe in?"

Princess Liyang smiled under the moonlight: "The strong survive, the weak perish."

Just then, in the distance came the sound of war horses neighing.

Chen Ji swiftly turned his head towards the sound: "The Life-catcher General has caught up."

...

...

Zhang Xia led the way, as if he had memorized the map. Though he had never been there, he could name every place and even knew what battles had occurred there.

The group of four traveled over mountains and rivers, crossing hills directly and wading through shallow rivers.

After traveling over ten miles, Princess Liyang's embroidered shoes were worn out, the soles of her feet bleeding profusely, yet she didn't complain at all. This ambitious figure seemed able to separate willpower from the body.

After they crossed a small river, Chen Ji glanced back. The sound of flapping bird wings came from the opposite shore; someone was catching up.

Zhang Xia whispered: "Judging by the sound, they are two miles away."

Chen Ji paused in thought and then instructed everyone to get back into the river: "The river will erase our traces. Let's walk a stretch downstream before going ashore and see if we can lose them."

The four of them waded downstream for a while before going ashore again, but after only five miles, the sound of flapping wings came from behind once more.

"They've caught up again," Zhang Xia looked at Chen Ji: "The Life-catcher Generals are adept at tracking and hunting. If this goes on, we might end up surrounded."

After a moment of thought, Chen Ji instructed Xiao Man: "You go first. Use the Taotie to carry the little monk, and you and Zhang Xia take turns carrying Princess Liyang. I'll catch up shortly."

He looked at Zhang Xia: "You don't have to wait for me, go directly to Willow Trench, someone will meet you there."

But as Chen Ji was speaking, he suddenly noticed that Zhang Xia was looking at him with a smile that was not quite a smile.

He asked in confusion: "What's wrong?"

Zhang Xia smiled and asked: "Are you planning to stay behind alone again?"

Chen Ji responded seriously: "You should know that leading away the pursuers alone is the most convenient. It's the most correct choice."

Zhang Xia whispered: "The most correct choice..."

She looked into Chen Ji's eyes and said: "Back in Dragon King Village, when we were in the Iron Refining Workshop. I once thought that it was the right choice for you to go out alone for medicine and food, so I felt at ease waiting for you to return. At Dragon Gate Inn, I once thought staying on the rooftop was the right choice, so I stayed with the others, waiting for you to fight inside the inn. After all, we couldn't help, going down would just add to the chaos. It was better to heartlessly ignore and not watch."

Chen Ji sighed: "Don't worry about it, I'll lead the Life-catcher General away and then immediately go..."

But Zhang Xia continued: "But I've since changed my mind. I don't want to hide in the Iron Refining Workshop anymore, nor do I want to stay on the rooftop at Dragon Gate Inn... That's why I must become an Executive Officer. Now you are Innate, and so am I, we no longer need to evade or hide."

Chen Ji interrupted: "But you've never been in a fight, there are many officers who have reached a realm but don't know how to fight..."

Zhang Xia cut him off decisively: "I can learn, and I learn fast."

Chen Ji remained silent.

Zhang Xia turned to Xiao Man and said: "Hurry up and go."

Xiao Man pulled a pair of silver scissors from his sleeve, crouched, and cut off his own shadow. The shadow twisted and struggled, transforming into a Taotie with a sheep's body and a human face.

Xiao Man snapped at the little monk: "What are you doing standing there? I've been telling you to chant, chant, chant, and after all this time, you still don't get it! Is your master's teaching method wrong or something? How come you haven't made any progress?"

The little monk clumsily climbed onto the Taotie: "When I return this time, I will definitely chant diligently..."

Xiao Man looked at Princess Liyang, reluctantly bent down, and said: "Get up."

Princess Liyang didn't stand on ceremony, immediately lying on Xiao Man's back: "Alright, Master Xiao Man."

Xiao Man mumbled: "It's the first time someone called me master, this Jing Princess really knows how to get along."

At daybreak, Zhang Xia stopped looking and turned to walk in another direction.

After a few dozen steps, she flicked her finger and sent a Cloud-Veiling Sword Qi towards the treetop.

The Sword Qi cut down a branch as thick as an arm, scattering birds into the sky in a flurry.

Chen Ji followed her and asked: "What's this for?"

Zhang Xia, without turning back, said: "Using the bird flock to lead the pursuers away, something I learned from you. Also, don't always think about taking everything upon yourself alone. I won't just hide like I did in Dragon King Village anymore."

Never again.