Chapter 17: Ambushed Again — A Bloody Battle in the Valley

Thinking about it, it was truly ironic — an emperor, to deal with their Pingnan Marquis Residence, had not hesitated to collude with an enemy nation!

Hatred and fury blazed in Cheng Chengxuan's eyes.

"Father, Uncle, Cousin — I will definitely avenge the Cheng Family!"

Meanwhile, the Cheng Family's women continued on their journey, passing through a valley.

Inside the horse carriage, Yu'an cradled a small bowl filled with prepared milk powder.

Fairy Sister said, one cup every day, and the body would be strong and healthy!

Cheng Old Madam lowered her eyes in thought.

At this hour yesterday, Yu'an had already returned from the Immortal's place…

Suddenly, a rich milky fragrance reached her nose. She lowered her head and met a pair of big, dark, sparkling eyes.

"Great-Great-Grandmother drinks first."

Cheng Old Madam smiled and shook her head.

"This is for children; adults can't drink it."

Yu'an pressed his little lips together.

"Alright then, next time I'll ask Fairy Sister if there's one adults can drink."

Then he held the bowl and gulped it down.

Cheng Old Madam reached out and rubbed his head, softly voicing the doubt in her heart.

"Today, the Immortal did not summon you?"

Could it be that she minded the matter of the offerings?

Hearing his great-great-grandmother's words, the little fellow raised his head, blinked his big bewildered eyes, with half a ring of white "mustache" still clinging to his lips.

Right, he had forgotten to tell Great-Great-Grandmother about this matter.

"Fairy Sister said I can't go over for the next two days."

So it was "cannot," not "no longer need to," then?

Having figured this out, Cheng Old Madam let out a breath of relief, then earnestly instructed him.

"When the Immortal summons you, Yu'an must remember to present the offerings."

Little Yu'an blinked his eyes in confusion.

"What are offerings?"

Cheng Old Madam used a handkerchief to wipe the corners of his mouth.

"Common things like gold and silver — the Immortal probably looks down on them. Didn't you collect many precious medicinal herbs, Yu'an? Just send those."

An Luo: "…"

No, I'm just a terribly worldly person — please defile me thoroughly with gold, silver, and jewels!

Suddenly, the carriage window was tapped twice.

Cheng Old Madam lifted the carriage curtain.

"What is it?"

Cheng Qiuyun pulled those secret letters from her bosom.

"Grandmother, these were found in the National Preceptor's hidden chamber. From what your granddaughter can tell, they appear to be written in Dongxun script."

Hearing this, Cheng Old Madam's brows furrowed slightly, and her expression grew solemn.

"Dongxun?!"

She took them and glanced through them hurriedly.

In her youth, she had traveled north and south with the Old Marquis, campaigning on the battlefield, and had learned the scripts of other nations — she could indeed recognize a few characters.

After reading them, her expression grew even more solemn.

"I never imagined the National Preceptor was actually a Dongxun person."

Cheng Qiuyun's brows were tightly knit.

"All these years, Dongxun has been a vassal state, bowing its head to Da Yin and paying tribute of treasures and horses. Could it be that because the Dongxun Emperor is now advanced in years, those Princes have begun to harbor other ambitions?"

Cheng Old Madam tucked the letters away.

"Perhaps."

Cheng Qiuyun was about to say more when suddenly her expression sharpened, and she quickly strode toward another horse carriage.

After a while, Meng Shi and Cheng Qiuruo, who knew no martial arts, along with the mother and daughter Cheng Jiuling, boarded this horse carriage.

Cheng Qiuyun gripped the sword in her hand tightly, warily scanning her surroundings.

"Mother, you all stay hidden and look after Grandmother and Yu'an."

Cheng Old Madam gave her a helpless look.

She wasn't so old yet that she couldn't still fight the enemy.

Cheng Old Madam tightened her grip on her cane and swept a fierce glance outside.

It was lunchtime — the busiest time at the Bian Li Dian. An Luo was busy at the register when the phone in the drawer vibrated frantically.

Buzz! Zaituan is in danger!

At the same moment, Cheng Qiuyun drew her sword and slashed to the side, sweeping away two arrows that shot toward them.

"Everyone be careful! There's an ambush!"

Wang Shi, Tian Shi, Cheng Qiuyun, and Cheng Qiuluo — the four sisters — each guarded one of the four sides of the horse carriage.

The Jiedai instinctively lost their formation at the sound of an ambush.

Arrows rained down continuously from the heights.

Outside the horse carriage, the sounds of "whoosh whoosh whoosh, bang bang bang" never ceased, interspersed with continuous grunts and wails of agony.

Cheng Old Madam held Yu'an tightly.

Meng Shi, meanwhile, moved with brisk efficiency, rummaging through the Inventory for wound medicine.

Listening to the sounds of fighting outside, Cheng Qiuruo clenched her fists tightly, secretly reproaching herself.

Why hadn't she practiced martial arts back then?

Then she could have fought the enemies alongside her sisters and protected the family!

Meanwhile, Cheng Qiuling was shielded in Xu Shi's arms, peering out through the constantly swaying carriage curtain.

Watching Cheng Qiuyun and her sister's crisp, fierce, blood-drawing movements, her face showed longing, and her gaze gradually steadied.

She wanted to learn martial arts!

Suddenly, several arrows shot toward the carriage window; Cheng Qiuyun's eyes nearly split with rage.

"Grandmother, look out! Get down quickly!"

The few people in the carriage reacted quickly, but not quickly enough for the arrows.

One arrow came straight for Yu'an's brow.

The few people were greatly alarmed and hurriedly lunged toward him.

"Yu'an!"

But when the arrowhead was an inch away from Yu'an, it was deflected by an inexplicable force.

With a thud, it embedded itself in the inner wall of the carriage.

The few people in the carriage blinked and exchanged glances.

If their eyes weren't all failing at the same time, just now, a flash of white light seemed to have glimmered over Yu'an?

Cheng Yu'an's little face was deathly pale as he stared blankly at the arrow still trembling slightly.

He hadn't actually been hit!

He suddenly felt a burning sensation on his chest; lowering his head to check, he saw the small cloth bundle faintly glowing.

Cheng Yu'an:!!!

How amazing!

【Thank you, Fairy Sister!】

He carefully tucked the Peace Talisman back against his body as if it were a treasure.

"Great-Grandmother, I'm fine."

The moment he turned his head, he saw an arrow shooting toward Great-Grandmother's back; the little fellow hurriedly threw himself forward, using his small body to block the arrow.

"Great-Grandmother, look out!"

Just like before, the arrow was deflected.

"Yu'an, are you alright?!"

Cheng Old Madam's face turned ashen with fright as she held the little fellow in her arms, examining him carefully from every angle.

"Let Great-Grandmother have a look."

Yu'an felt his heart leap into his throat; his little face had not a trace of color. He pursed his small mouth but stubbornly held back his tears and patted his little chest.

"I'm fine!"

Outside the carriage, a group of masked men rushed out from the hillside and the woods.

The Jiedai were already wounded and now even less able to hold their own; within three or five exchanges they collapsed and did not rise.

For a time, screams and wails continued without end. Inside the carriage, Cheng Old Madam's expression grew increasingly grave.

An Luo finished her work, opened her phone, and the moment she sat down she sprang right back up.

"What's going on?! Assassins again!"

The Peace Talisman on Zaituan only had one chance left to block an attack!

Just then, the assassins coated their arrowheads in oil, lit them, and countless arrows trailing sparks rained down; the carriage quickly caught fire.

After Cheng Qiuyun stabbed and wounded a masked man with her sword, she hurried to the carriage door, extinguishing the flames on one side while shouting inside.

"Grandmother, get out of the carriage quickly!"

She and Cheng Qiuluo shielded the others as they retreated behind a rock as tall as a person.

During this, An Luo simultaneously reached out to block the killers and anxiously watched the remaining uses on the Peace Talisman; once it hit zero and was spent, she hurriedly swapped in a new one, working until she was drenched in sweat.

But there were simply too many masked killers, and the Jiedai's martial skills were uneven—most of them were half-baked.

Soon, only Wu Meng and Feng Shan were left struggling to resist, and both had sustained not-light injuries.

Suddenly, an arrow struck Tian Qin's shoulder, and she let out a muffled groan.

Yu'an, frantic, shouted and instinctively ran out from behind the rock, wanting to rush over.

"Mother!"