Chapter 1111: First Volume_Chapter 1111: The Nangong Empress's Wedding Gift

First Volume_Chapter 1111: The Nangong Empress's Wedding Gift

To avoid any unnecessary complications that might delay the marriage arrangement, since entering the Jingji Region, aside from necessary rest stops, Qin Feng had not wasted a single moment.

Just as Qin Feng was preparing to push on in one go and charge back to Jingdu, an accident still occurred.

When the procession reached Ci County, less than fifty li from Fuyun County, ten-plus common people suddenly rushed out from the roadside, closing in on the procession while waving their arms and shouting.

This sudden scene did give Qin Feng a start.

Under the double layer of protection from the scouting cavalry and the Brocade Guards, how could so many people have managed to get this close to the procession?

Had they not been wearing coarse cloth garments, regardless of whether they were friend or foe, Qin Feng could only have treated it as an "enemy ambush."

After confirming that the other side wore no armor and carried no weapons, Qin Feng ordered the Black Cavalry to lower their bows and arrows, but as a precaution, half of the Black Cavalry still held their horse lances, ready to respond to any sudden situation at any moment.

"Lord Qin, save us!"

"Lord Qin, sob sob sob, you've finally come."

Hearing the common people's wails, Qin Feng's brow furrowed even deeper.

How would these ordinary commoners know his identity?

Before Qin Feng could react, Zhao Yuxiong had already waved his hand and given the order. In the blink of an eye, twenty Black Cavalry charged forward, blocking those ten-plus common people thirty steps away from Qin Feng and surrounding them completely.

Faced with the sharp horse lances all around and the Black Cavalry's watchful, menacing gazes, the common people were terrified.

They huddled together, faces deathly pale, their eyes filled with panic and helplessness.

Because the incident happened so suddenly, Zhao Yuxiong had no time to don armor; he simply strapped a breastplate over his body before spurring his horse forward.

"Who are you people!"

Zhao Yuxiong's deep, low voice carried an overwhelming pressure. The common people were so frightened they trembled all over, and the more timid among them dropped straight to their knees.

"General, we live in Li Family Village in Ci County, all ordinary common folk."

The middle-aged man in his forties at the head of the group had legs trembling with nervousness. He glanced at Qin Feng not far away and asked tentatively once more: "This one dares to ask, is that Lord Qin ahead?"

Zhao Yuxiong's gaze was cold and sharp, his vigilance absolute: "If you're ordinary commoners, how do you know Lord Qin's movements?"

"Speak honestly, or you'll be dealt with as spies!"

The middle-aged man was so frightened he trembled all over—how would he dare hesitate in the slightest?

"R-r-reporting to the General, this commoner is called Li Shun, and I am the Village Chief of Li Family Village."

"The people beside me are all villagers of Li Family Village; we absolutely are not spies."

"The reason we are waiting here for Lord Qin is that someone told us Lord Qin would pass through here. To be honest, we have been waiting here for a day and a night."

Hearing this, Zhao Yuxiong still did not relax in the slightest.

"For what reason on earth would you be waiting here for Lord Qin?"

"And! Who was the person who told you Lord Qin would pass through here?"

"Explain everything clearly. If this brings danger to Lord Qin, every single one of you will be severely punished."

Li Shun swallowed, and began to explain, trembling.

"Just three days ago, a group of people suddenly rushed into the village, killing everyone they saw."

"Over a dozen men in the village were murdered, and the old, weak, women, and children were taken away by those people."

"Before they left, they also threatened that if they didn't see Lord Qin within three days, they would kill all the remaining fifty old, weak, women, and children, and they also said..."

"They also said..."

Seeing Li Shun hemming and hawing, Zhao Yuxiong's gaze turned sharp: "What else did they say?"

Li Shun's face was grief-stricken; he threw caution to the wind: "They also said that on the day of Lord Qin's grand wedding, the heads of these old, weak, women, and children would be the wedding gift presented to Lord Qin."

Hearing this, Zhao Yuxiong's gaze turned terrifyingly cold. He sharply pulled the reins, returning to Qin Feng's side, and was just about to open his mouth to report when he saw Qin Feng shake his head.

Qin Feng had heard every word of the conversation between Zhao Yuxiong and Li Shun clearly.

Qin Feng could not help but fall into deep thought.

Since returning to Shedynasty, so many things had happened along the way, all seemingly aimed at delaying Qin Feng's return to Beijing.

And all of this must be the work of the powerful clans of Nan Jing.

Because as long as Qin Feng delayed the wedding date, then according to custom, another Yellow Calendar Day would have to be chosen, which would in turn delay the military campaign scheduled for the following spring.

After all, the person Qin Feng was to marry was the most powerful woman in all the land.

Moreover, Li Xiaolan and Jing Qianying were already pregnant. If they gave birth before marriage, they would surely be censured by the people of the world in the future, and Li Xiaolan and Jing Qianying would be shamed by it.

Therefore, disrupting Qin Feng's marriage arrangement, though it seemed a despicable tactic, could achieve remarkable results.

Furthermore, the powerful clans of Nan Jing were trapped in Jiangnan and could not dispatch large-scale forces to assassinate Qin Feng. Therefore, using small units to constantly harass and ambush was the optimal choice.

Speaking of which, everything encountered on the road stemmed from the military campaign scheduled for the following spring.

Qin Feng rode up to Li Shun and asked in a low voice: "How many of them are there?"

Li Shun swallowed and said softly: "I... I don't know, but I reckon there are several dozen."

Hearing this, Qin Feng said in a low voice: "Do you know where they went?"

Li Shun nodded repeatedly: "They said they would wait for you at the Land Temple."

Zhao Yuxiong hurriedly spurred his horse to follow, his expression grave: "My lord, from here to the Land Temple in Ci County, just one round trip takes two hours."

"And those bandits are already prepared. Even if we go, I'm afraid we'll be drawn into a bitter fight, and that would delay us by at least a full day."

"The grand wedding is in just two days."

"We must be back in Jingdu before nightfall tomorrow to prepare for the wedding."

"If we focus on eliminating these bandits and neglect the bigger picture, delaying the important matter, I'm afraid it would be a case of pulling one hair and moving the whole body."

Zhao Yuxiong had also seen through the powerful clans of Nan Jing's trick, knowing they had come solely to ruin Qin Feng's wedding.

The more this was the case, the less they could let the powerful clans of Nan Jing lead them by the nose.

"Brother Qin! There are still two options!"

"First, I'll split off half the men to escort you at top speed back to Jingdu, while I lead the rest to the Land Temple to wipe out those bandits."

"Second, we all return to Jingdu, and let the constables of Ci County swarm out in full force to suppress the bandits."

The moment these words left his mouth, before Qin Feng could even speak, Li Shun was already wearing a face of mourning and said in despair: "Even if the constables went, it would just be sending them to their deaths — how could that be suppressing bandits?"

"General, you don't know those people — they're terrifying. Every one of them is wearing armor, and each person carries several weapons."

Hearing Li Shun's description, Qin Feng immediately realized that these several dozen men were no ordinary bandits, but well-trained soldiers!

They might even be mercenaries!