Climbing on the Sparrow Branch – CH 845

Chapter 845: Blocking the Way

The masked man opposite Pei Que did not answer his question. After a while, he spoke: “You do not need to know who I am. Just know this: no matter what, you can not escape now. All these people on this mountain are here for you.”

“That’s not necessarily true,” Pei Que said, drawing his sword. “Since you have not attacked immediately, it means you want to capture me alive. But capturing me alive will not be so easy!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Pei Que led his men forward.

Now that they’d been discovered, there was no point in hiding anymore. Having Lin Feng go find Shuo Feng should be enough.

Just then, the assassins in the dense forest lit torches, but before they could rush in, an arrow flew out, striking the masked man who had just spoken in the head.

Pei Que scoffed, “Want my head? You’re still a long way off.”

With a few sharp clangs, weapons clashed.

Taking advantage of the moment his subordinates were protecting him, Pei Que released signal fireworks into the sky. This was the reason he had specifically sent someone to find Li Ji before leaving the city.

He would act as bait, drawing the enemy’s attention so that Li Ji could cover the rear, capture the enemy, and provide reinforcements.

Originally, Pei Que planned to deal with the people on the mountain after finding Shuo Feng, but since they were quite capable and possessed some strategy, he decided to strike first.

As the torches were lit, the sounds of fighting filled the air.

Pei Que practiced his martial arts daily, especially after returning to the Military Court. He had to travel to more places than before at the Ministry of Public Works, and his stamina was better.

After several exchanges, Pei Que’s men were at a disadvantage, but fortunately, Li Ji arrived in time with his men. Under Li Ji’s command, the Imperial Guards were much stronger than before.

“Leave no survivors! Kill those you can!” Pei Que shouted to Li Ji.

Li Ji glanced at Pei Que, too lazy to think further, and ordered, “All as Minister Pei commands!”

With reinforcements, Pei Que immediately felt relieved and led his men straight into the valley.

By the time Li Ji had dealt with most of the people in the mountains, Pei Que had also found Shuo Feng.

A sliver of dawn appeared on the horizon; after a night of fighting, everyone was exhausted.

After Li Ji ordered them to rest on the spot, Pei Que and Li Ji sat together around the campfire.

“Thank you for your help, Your Highness,” Pei Que said with a smile, handing Li Ji a pot of wine.

Li Ji accepted the wine and drank it down in a large gulp. “No need for thanks; just remember the favor. We are practically relatives now; no need for formalities. This matter is inextricably linked to your nephew, is it not?”

Li Ji asked directly, and Pei Que did not intend to hide anything. “Most likely. He’s been pulling strings lately, trying to get back into officialdom. Even if I did not speak to those people, most officials would not do that to avoid trouble. Besides, as long as I’m around, even if Pei Yu successfully enters officialdom, there’s no future for him. It’s better to get rid of me.”

Pei Que had no son. With his death, the entire Pei family would be reshuffled. Currently, there were no outstanding talents among the new generation of the Pei family, so Pei Yu had a chance to take advantage of the situation.

From the moment he received news of the ambush on Shuo Feng, Pei Que felt something was amiss. This matter was definitely more complicated, so he specifically had someone inform Li Ji.

Pei Que did not ask Li Ji to keep anyone alive because he knew that capturing someone would not yield much useful information; it was better to eliminate them all and give Pei Yu a warning.

Long ago, Pei Que had anticipated this day of confrontation with Pei Yu. His previous confrontations were merely to fulfill his father’s dying wish, to avoid being chased by his father in the underworld.

Since Pei Yu struck first, Pei Que saw no need to hold back.

After some rest, Pei Que set off back to the capital.

Li Ji did not travel with Pei Que; he returned later, the two groups going back one after the other.

Upon returning to the capital, Pei Que did not tell An Zhi about his encounter on the outskirts but instead gave her the antidote.

With the antidote, the remaining poison in An Zhi’s body could be cleared. However, An Zhi needed to rest at home while the poison was being cleared, so she first went to see Li Sihui.

Li Sihui had not changed much since her marriage.

The Prince’s Mansion was not as large as the Pei family’s courtyard, but it was far more luxurious inside. An Zhi was led to the inner hall by a maid.

Li Sihui dismissed the servants, leaving only An Zhi. “Cousin,” she said, “in a while, I will be returning to the fiefdom with Li Ji. Li Ji has been good to me, but the fiefdom is far away, and now my mother and brother have also separated from the Li family. Regardless of whether my brother passes the imperial examination this autumn, things will not be easy for them in the future. I will have to trouble you to take care of them.”

Although Li Sihui had other brothers in the Li family, she no longer cared about them. The only people she truly cared about were her mother and her brother.

“Do not worry about that. My cousin is a low-key person. He’s cautious in his actions, and most people will not find fault with him. Besides, your marriage to Prince Yongning will elevate his status, and no one will dare to bully him,” An Zhi reassured her. “Aunt can rest even more assured. Since the old Marquis passed away, she has not even left the house, so nothing will happen to her. Even if something does happen, the An and Pei families are there to support her; the sky will not fall.”

An Zhi sighed. “As for you, after this separation, I do not know when we will see each other again. Prince Yongning’s fiefdom is remote. If you do not like it, you do not have to force yourself to stay there. I know about your marriage to him. Remember, do not force yourself into anything. Life is only once; do not waste this opportunity to live.”

“Cousin,” Li Sihui hugged An Zhi, moved. She had never been more than a hundred kilometers away before. Leaving with Li Ji this time, she truly did not know when she would return, or perhaps never. Thinking of this, Li Sihui felt endless melancholy, but she could only try to think positively.

An Zhi and Li Sihui talked for a long time, and by the time she left the Prince’s Mansion, it was already half dark outside.

The coachman wanted to return to the Pei Mansion before nightfall, so he whipped the horse faster. Just as they were approaching the Pei Mansion, a beggar suddenly appeared out of nowhere, nearly hitting the carriage.

An Zhi stumbled forward, and if she had not caught herself on the cushion, she would have fallen off the carriage.

Chunlan, annoyed, lifted the curtain and asked, “What happened?”

The coachman, still in shock, gasped, “It was a beggar who ran off; he’s already gone.”

Seeing they were almost at the Pei Mansion, Chunlan did not want to say more. “Never mind then; let’s hurry back; it’s getting dark.”

The coachman agreed, and Chunlan had just returned to the carriage when she heard Pei Yu’s voice outside.

“Greetings, Fourth Aunt.”

Upon hearing Pei Yu’s voice, An Zhi’s heart skipped a beat. After a moment, she spoke through the wooden window, “Coachman, let’s go back.” She did not want to talk to Pei Yu any longer.

But the coachman did not drive, because Pei Yu’s men were standing in front of the carriage. “Madam, someone is blocking the way.”