CHAPTER 451: CHAPTER 448 CHEN YOULI’S DAUGHTER

"Let’s fight them."

The gaunt-faced woman lunged first, clutching a sharp piece of wood in her hand, intending to stab it into those people’s flesh.

With one slash, her fingers and the wood were both sliced off. She reached out, trying to hold on to them, but her body was easily pierced by sharp weapons. She used her life to buy only a moment of time for those beside her.

And just like that, a life was lost.

If they didn’t resist, their deaths would be even more silent.

Zheng and Sister Chen both grabbed wooden sticks. Zheng looked at Sister Chen: "You go with them. I don’t want to leave as much as you do." She was also unwilling to submit but wasn’t as determined as Sister Chen.

Zheng’s wrist was grasped by Sister Chen, who whispered, "Together."

Zheng agreed with Sister Chen not because of the things she said daily, but because of who Sister Chen was. Sister Chen was different from others; she was smart, transparent, and harmless. She knew she had to survive, but at critical moments, she would still step up.

A person, with more experiences as they grow older, stops believing in words and believes in their feelings. Reality told her she wasn’t wrong.

Zheng hesitated no longer. She, Sister Chen, and the other women together blocked those murderous brutes.

The remaining women dragged the boat, creating scratches on the ground like the wounds on the bodies of the deceased women.

The air was filled with a nauseating stench, but no one was afraid anymore. They all focused on their tasks, regardless of life or death.

Sister Chen felt pain on her body. Although Zheng tried hard to push her away, both of them were injured by sharp weapons. More people under Vice General Wu noticed their location, coming to claim their lives.

No wooden stick was as sharp as a blade. The sticks fell, and they had to use their hands to defend. Sister Chen watched familiar faces fall before her eyes. She tried to save the people beside her, reached out to pull someone, but when the blade came down, all she pulled back was an arm.

Blood ran down her face, blinding her vision... She wasn’t afraid of death, just a little disappointed that she couldn’t return to her loved ones and hadn’t received any news from them.

The weapon was raised again, but this time it didn’t come down. The soldier was staring behind Sister Chen, unsure of what he saw.

Sister Chen seized the opportunity, picked up a stick from the ground, and stabbed it into the soldier. By the time the soldier reacted and tried to retaliate, the wood had already pierced his flesh.

Sister Chen succeeded.

The stick couldn’t be pulled out, so she let go and dodged to the side.

Because of the strange behavior of the soldier just now, Sister Chen turned to look behind her and saw several people swiftly approaching.

These people, with clothes still wet, were clearly from the sea. They didn’t attack the women but confronted the people under Vice General Wu.

"Someone," a person under Vice General Wu shouted, "someone landed on the island."

"There’s a big ship by the shore, all get on board, and we’ll take you away."

"Trust us."

Liu Ji and Chang Tong instructed the women to board the ship quickly.

Zheng and Sister Chen exchanged a glance. Although these people who appeared suddenly saved them, they wouldn’t easily trust them.

Sister Chen walked towards Liu Ji, while Zheng gathered the women together.

Sister Chen approached Liu Ji and asked, "Who are you?"

Liu Ji remained silent, but Chang Tong quickly said, "We are sent by the court. We know Li Tao and others gathered troops on the island, and the court dispatched a large ship to capture them all. To cover their crimes, they wanted to dispose of the people on the island first. We are here under the orders of Song Jiedu to rescue you."

"Song Jiedu?" Sister Chen was unfamiliar with this person.

Chang Tong took out his token to prove his identity. The islanders might not know about Song Jiedu’s status, so it was useless to say more.

The sound of battle continued as the soldiers sent by Vice General Wu were intercepted by these court-dispatched people.

Sister Chen decided quickly: "Follow them onto the ship." Staying behind would mean being chased down and killed. In their current situation, they didn’t need these people to act further, just to resolve the immediate danger and think about the next step.

The women followed Sister Chen’s advice and headed to the ship.

Sister Chen and Zheng were the last to board.

On board, people were busy bandaging the women’s wounds.

"In a moment you’ll be fine. Once on the ship, we can get you out."

Sister Chen and Zheng listened.

Sister Chen spoke first: "We’ve been on the island too long and don’t know, which state does Song Jiedu guard?"

"Many," the doctor said, "Zhenzhou, Zhaozhou, Dai State, Xinzhou..."

Sister Chen was helping the doctor bandage Zheng’s wound, but hearing these words, she froze.

Zhenzhou...

It already startled her. Song Qizheng came to mind, but before she could understand, she heard Dai State, Xinzhou... those were the eight states seized by the Pseudo King.

Have the eight states returned?

Did Song Qizheng reclaim them with his troops?

The doctor noticed her change, taking the cloth from her hand: "What? You know?"

Sister Chen said, "Weren’t the eight states occupied by the traitors of the previous dynasty?"

"Reclaimed last year," the doctor said, "it was our Song Jiedu who led the troops."

Sister Chen asked, "Isn’t your Song Jiedu named Song Qizheng?"

"No," the doctor was surprised that this woman with burn scars on her face knew this much, "it’s the eldest son of the National Guardian General, Song Xian, also the husband of Princess Jia’an."

Sister Chen nodded.

The doctor chuckled as he saw the woman stopping her questioning. He was about to check on others when she spoke again.

"I’m also from Zhenzhou. My maiden home is in Chen Family Village. Do you know how Chen Family Village is now?"

Hearing her speak, the doctor paused immediately. But this time, it wasn’t his turn to speak. Chang Tong was just helping a wounded woman board the ship, and upon hearing her, he immediately approached.

Chang Tong looked at Sister Chen: "Are you from Chen Family Village?"

Sister Chen noted the seriousness in Chang Tong’s words as if Chen Family Village was unusually significant; could he also be from there?

"You..." Sister Chen asked, "do you know Chen Family Village?"

Chang Tong replied, "We...actually, we all count as people from Chen Family Village."

Sister Chen was surprised, looking bewilderedly at the people on the ship. Who did "we" refer to?

Chang Tong continued, "I know most of the people from Chen Family Village. The current village chief is Chen Yongsheng. Who are your relatives? Maybe I know them."

Chang Tong pondered carefully, not having heard of any family from Chen Family Village being captured.

Sister Chen lifted her head: "Do you know Chen Youli? I am the daughter of Chen Youli and Chen Yueya. I also have a younger brother named Chen Yongjing."

Sister Chen said this but awaited a response that never came. She looked up at him, only to see his mouth agape, standing motionless like a clay statue.