CHAPTER 246: CHAPTER 243 CARING ABOUT YOU

The dark mountain was filled with the scent of blood.

Song Xian gazed at the desolate stronghold.

"Calm those women," Song Xian said, "and send them to the government office at dawn. They can be reunited with their families then."

Dozens of women had been kidnapped by these mountain bandits, who had held sway here for six or seven years, committing numerous atrocities.

Because of these bandits, the Xingzhou government office from top to bottom should be put on trial, and the same goes for Du Yi, who, instead of reporting them for a sweep, used them to attack the Chen Family Village.

Chang Tong, who was by his side, responded.

A House General from the Song Family led the women out. Song Xian heard their sobbing and frowned: "Don’t send them to the government office. First, find a courtyard to settle them in, and don’t let others know where they were rescued from." If their fate became known, even if the government acted, they might not survive. Too many in this world are unkind to women.

Song Xian would not have considered this before. In the previous life, when encountering such things, he would have left it to the government office. Now it was different. Since knowing Xie Liangchen and seeing the Chen Family Village, some part of his heart softened, and he could consider more, resolving many issues differently.

Chang Tong evidently did not anticipate that the lord would arrange things this way, but after a brief thought, he realized it was better for those poor women.

Chang Tong instructed someone to inform the women of this, to prevent them from panicking.

The women’s sobbing indeed gradually subsided.

Song Xian continued to look toward the dark mountains.

Song Xian asked, "Haven’t those people been caught yet?"

Chang Tong reported, "No, not yet. When we were besieging the mountain bandits, those assassins lay in wait, ready to strike, and although there were pre-arrangements, they were very alert."

Song Xian looked at Chang Tong. With so many bandits and needing to watch for the ambushers, even Chang Tong was injured.

"First, tend to your wounds," Song Xian said, "then gather a few troops to go with me to capture those who escaped." Step by step, they were led to act, and this time they must catch them all, leaving none behind.

More so, there was a big fish among them who passed on Song Xian’s every move.

Since the exposure of Vice General Qiao, Song Qizheng had been clearing the Song Family Army, and with Song Xian’s rectification of the camp, those hidden in it were soon to be revealed.

Song Xian had anticipated that when those people had no way out, they would make a final struggle. Recently, he hit Xiao Xingzong several times, becoming Xiao’s biggest thorn, and for several reasons together, they inevitably targeted him.

Leaving Zhenzhou and Zhaozhou was the best opportunity.

Just as Song Xian finished speaking, a woman cried out, "Sir, you are a court official, right? There are still people from our village locked in the back mountain, about a dozen of them. The men are being forced to join, and the women are..."

The woman did not continue, "Please save them."

She knelt down and kowtowed, and Chang Tong stepped forward to help her up: "No need for that, since our general has come to suppress the bandits, he will do his utmost to save you."

Song Xian walked out of the stronghold, looking toward the back mountain.

Chang Tong said, "Those assassins also fled to the back mountain." In rescuing people, another fierce battle was inevitable.

Song Xian instructed, "First, send someone to scout the situation. The others will pause briefly and go with me."

Chang Tong responded and went to organize the arrangements but soon returned: "Sir, Chang An has arrived with men."

Shortly after, Chang An arrived with his men. He took a deep breath and approached Song Xian.

Seeing Chang An’s frustrated expression, Song Xian asked mildly, "Were you discovered?"

Chang An replied, "I was lured away by Miss Xie briefly... then Chang Yue confessed everything." From the courtyard to the stronghold, a breeze along the way made him realize being detected by Miss Xie wasn’t Chang Yue’s fault; the first to fall was him.

Alas, he couldn’t imagine how easily they brothers were breached. Often self-assuring he was clever, but ultimately no match for Miss Xie. On deeper thought, didn’t the lord meet the same end... what kind of general, what kind of soldiers, it left nothing for him to be embarrassed about.

Chang An said, "Miss Xie is brilliant." Hoping this might save his life.

Song Xian’s expression indeed did not worsen but rather asked mildly, "Is everything at the courtyard arranged?"

"I instructed them when I left," Chang An cautiously raised his eyes, "but Chang Yue has been called for questioning by Miss Xie."

Miss Xie had, after all, discovered Chang Yue’s nature; from now on, his days wouldn’t be easy.

After finishing, Chang An added, "Miss Xie is concerned about you, or she wouldn’t overthink."

Song Xian’s eyes lowered slightly, the ice and snow between his brows somewhat melted. Pretending not to know, he asked, "Is that so?"

Chang An nodded, "Yes."

Song Xian stood still for a moment, the worry on his face was half replaced by hidden joy. But soon, he regained his composure and ordered, "Since you’re here, don’t delay anymore. Come with me to the back mountain." Once they catch those people, this matter will be resolved, and she would be safe.

Chang An responded.

Song Xian called out to Chang An, "Follow behind without lighting torches. They know people are confined in the back mountain and are surely lying in ambush on the way. Carrying lights will make us more visible."

Song Xian mounted his horse, taking the torch: "I’ll lead the way."

Song Xian held the torch, proceeding ahead to draw those people out. Once they acted, Chang An and others could move in the shadows.

Chang An said, "Sir, take care."

Song Xian and his men raced toward the back mountain, where the torchlight was particularly conspicuous in the darkness. Faint cries for help could be heard in the mountain, prompting Song Xian to urge his horse toward that sound. From the darkness came the sound of arrows tearing through the air; a wave of feathered arrows seemed to cut through the sky, arriving in an instant.

The torches in Song Xian and his men’s hands flickered like they were hit by a fierce wind.

The assassins thought they had the advantage with a surprise attack and were readying to shoot more arrows when blades appeared behind them.

"Poof," came the sound of the blades piercing flesh.

Hot blood sprayed across the mountains.

In the mountain, there was wailing, shouting, and fleeing.

Among those attempting to assassinate Song Xian, someone used a piece of cloth to tightly cover his face, attempting to escape the mountain. He glanced at his companion: "Wasn’t Chang An not with Song Xian? How did Chang An appear?"

Not only did Chang An arrive, but he also launched a hidden attack against them.

The defeat came too fast, leaving him deeply unwilling. After Vice General Qiao’s exposure, it quickly became his turn. Despite crafting comprehensive plans, how could he’ve known Song Xian would seem to foresee everything, easily crushing it all?

"Still thinking of escaping?"

Song Xian’s icy voice echoed from not far away. The man looked up to see several torches glowing in the dark, followed by an arrow speeding towards him. Before he could dodge, it thudded into the flesh of his calf.

In pain, the man staggered and kneeled on one knee.

"Remove the cloth, let me see who you are."

Song Xian’s voice came again.

Forcing himself to recover from the shock, the man staggered away to the side: "Song Xian... Song Xian, you won’t kill me. You went to so much trouble to capture me because you want to hand me over to Song Qizheng. Song Qizheng is investigating the assassination case from years ago. Don’t you want justice cleared?

If I die, no one can tell Song Qizheng the truth. Only I know what Vice General Qiao did back then to frame you."

The man drew a blade, placing it across his neck, using a vicious tone: "Come any closer, and I’ll kill myself. You won’t have a chance to vindicate yourself."

"You’re wrong," Song Xian advanced on horseback, "I’ve never wanted to vindicate myself because I simply do not care."

With that, Song Xian drew a bow and released an arrow, sending it toward the man’s heart.