Chapter 373: Chapter 362 Alive
The sky was thick with clouds, a bitter wind howled, and a torrential rain was imminent.
When Fengyu and the others arrived at the dock, it was teeming with people. Nuanyang dared not get too close, as everyone was waiting for a ship to leave Yangzhou. Fengyu was trembling with fear—such dense crowds were breeding grounds for epidemic infection. Nuanyang sent someone to inquire and found out that Yangzhou had closed all docks and ferry crossings, forbidding anyone to leave the city.
Fang Lingjun was worried about whether her own family managed to leave Yangzhou or had been trapped at the dock. Fengyu said, "Governor Li Yong has caused a catastrophic calamity. Now he’s just patching up after the damage, hoping to contain the epidemic within Yangzhou."
This was undeniably the correct decision. If the epidemic were to spread throughout Yanyang, it would only lead to disaster. Yet, survival instincts drive people—all want to live; no one wants to gamble inside Yangzhou City, uncertain if they can survive this catastrophe. Fengyu was no exception.
"Let’s head to the Sunset Forest ferry crossing. I’ll lead the way; there’s a small boat over there," Housekeeper Su recalled an obscure ferry crossing, known only to the Su Family’s Trading House. It was a waterway typically used to transport cargo to Sannan, not an official Yangzhou ferry dock.
Fengyu nodded. The docks were overcrowded and brimming with infection; they wouldn’t make it through there. Fengyu had no choice but to change route. On the way, they encountered a group of rioting disaster refugees. Nuanyang drew his sword to drive them off. Just as the refugees retreated, Nuanyang hadn’t yet relaxed when Lin Cheng led a group charging toward them, his long blade slicing through the air.
Nuanyang met Lin Cheng’s strike with his sword; sparks flew as the two figures crossed paths. Nuanyang gripped his horse tightly, leaning back so far he was nearly pressed against the saddle. Lin Cheng’s long blade clashed against Nuanyang’s sword, missing his face by a whisker.
Lin Cheng immediately recognized him.
"Nuanyang, so it really is you!" He had suspected as much when encountering this group on the street—their carriage, plain and inconspicuous, appeared as though it belonged to a wealthy merchant fleeing the city. But the elite demeanor of the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry gave them away. As soon as Lin Cheng crossed paths, his suspicions flared, and he rushed after them, unexpectedly discovering Nuanyang in Yangzhou.
And inside that carriage—it must be Mr. Su!
Nuanyang pulled the reins with one hand, turning his horse around. Holding his sword, he thrust toward Lin Cheng while shouting to his guards, "Go! Keep moving forward!"
"Yes, sir!"
As Lin Cheng brought his long blade up to parry, a vicious gleam shone in his eyes. "Su Ming is inside the carriage. Stop them—no one escapes alive!"
He hadn’t anticipated that Xie Xun would send Nuanyang to rescue Su Ming.
The Protector driving the carriage sped ahead, but the soldiers of Yangzhou Mansion encircled them completely. Fengyu’s retinue and the Su Family protectors drew their swords to defend the carriage. However, heavily outnumbered, the soldiers of Yangzhou slashed the horses’ legs, toppling the carriage sideways. Fengyu, Fang Lingjun, and Mr. Su were all flung from the carriage. Mr. Su landed by the roadside, hitting a rock. Fengyu’s eyes reddened, and despite her pain, she scrambled toward Su Ming.
"Grandfather! Grandfather!" Fengyu hurriedly helped him up. Su Ming, though initially dazed, seemed to regain his senses slightly from the fall. Nuanyang and Lin Cheng fought fiercely nearby. Though dressed in men’s attire, Fengyu and Fang Lingjun were instantly recognized by Lin Cheng. His expression lit up with mad joy, "I was wondering why Nuanyang was here in Yangzhou, and it turns out Fengyu is here too! I only wanted Su Ming—but to stumble upon this unexpected prize!"
Fengyu’s value far exceeded Su Ming’s. With Fengyu in hand, Feng Shu would certainly comply obediently, Jun Xin would rejoice, and even Xie Xun would be forced to surrender, ruining the Xie brothers’ deployments across the Twelve States. A triple triumph—heaven was smiling on him!
"Listen up, men! This is Fengyu, the fiancée of the rebel Xie Xun. Whoever captures her alive will be richly rewarded—promotions and ten thousand taels of gold await!" The allure of high ranks and wealth was always irresistible, and the soldiers of Yangzhou Mansion surged forward greedily, aiming their weapons at Fengyu.
"Lin Cheng—how dare you!" Fang Lingjun stepped forward, shielding Fengyu and Mr. Su. "If you dare lay a hand on Ayu, you’ll have to get past me first! If anything happens to me, my father and elder brother will never let you off!"
"Miss Fang, if you act sensibly, I will pretend I never saw you. But if you insist on interfering, dying at the hands of Yangzhou disaster refugees—who can your father, General Fang Chuning, blame?" Lin Cheng countered while battling Nuanyang and issued an order, "Ignore her. Capture Fengyu and Mr. Su alive. Kill the rest!"
The soldiers moved per his command, charging with ferocity. These were Yangzhou Mansion’s elite troops—far beyond the protectors of the Su Family—a handful of guards fell to the ground. Fengyu and Fang Lingjun knew the situation was dire and exchanged a look, picking up the longswords scattered among the fallen for self-defense. A wounded soldier struggled to his feet, grabbed his sword, and aimed at a retinue member’s back. Fengyu and Fang Lingjun quickly stabbed at his neck with their swords.
The two blades, front and back, twisted him into death.
Blood splattered into Fengyu’s gaze, burning like fire, yet her eyes remained icy as snow. Though their skills were mediocre, with their backs pressed together, they barely managed to hold their ground.
Nuanyang was locked in combat with Lin Cheng; the two dismounted and fought sword-to-sword, equally matched. Nuanyang could only watch helplessly as the people around Fengyu dwindled one by one.
"Miss, run!" A retinue member, clutching his bloodied arm, cried out. "Miss, leave everything behind and run to the ferry. We will carve out a path for you!"
Fengyu looked down at Su Ming, who was barely breathing, and then at the loyal soldiers protecting her—the elite of Xie Xun’s forces—falling one by one before her.
Her heart ached unbearably. Suddenly she shouted, "Lin Cheng, stop! I know you want the Su Family’s wealth—if you stop now, I’ll give it to you!"
"Miss!" Nuanyang deflected Lin Cheng’s sword, urgently stepping in front of her with his own blade, guarding against Lin Cheng.
"So you really transferred all the Su Family’s assets!" Lin Cheng sneered. He had never liked Fengyu. Ever since the archery banquet in the Capital City, he’d despised her. This young woman was scheming and sharp-tongued, destroying Lin Yu Yan’s entire life and luring his brother Lin Xiao into betrayal. If not for her, Lin Xiao would have never turned against their family. Now, his blood boiled with hatred—he wished to kill Fengyu himself to vent his rage. Yet he knew Fengyu alive was his most valuable asset. He couldn’t botch this mission in Jiangnan. "Tell me—where did you move it to?"
"I won’t say!" Su Ming, holding onto his last breath, pushed Fengyu away. Frail and aged, he was already at the end of his life. "Even if Ayu handed all of Su Family’s wealth over to you, what good would it do?"
He pointed furiously at the night sky. "This is divine punishment! Has this thousand-year-old city of Yangzhou ever seen such chaos? The Yuwen Royal Family’s destiny is at its end. A new imperial star is rising in the northwest. Only the bloodline of Marquis Zhenbei can salvage this upheaval. You—lackeys and pawns of tyrants—turn a blind eye to Yangzhou’s slaughter, ignore the suffering of the city’s people, only chasing your own greed. With subjects like you, it’s no wonder Yuwen Jing faces enemies in all directions and is losing the people’s trust. The Yuwen Royal Family is arrogant, incompetent, killing heroes and punishing good generals—divine retribution is inevitable! Look at this—it’s their reckoning! I’ve traveled all across the country for decades, indifferent to life and death, yet my fleeting attachment to tender moments has trapped my granddaughter here in Yangzhou. It’s my own fault."
Turning to Fengyu with tears streaming down her face, Su Ming gazed at her with bittersweet affection, as though imprinting her visage deep in his heart. "Ayu, go—don’t risk your life for your grandfather’s sake. I’ve lived in luxury and seen the splendors of this world. My life is complete. Follow Xie Xun and seize your destiny. This isn’t rebellion—it’s the will of heaven. The Su Family’s wealth must not fall into the hands of a decrepit emperor. I will be watching you from the heavens!"
Using his last ounce of strength, Su Ming seized her blade and plunged it into his own chest. Thunder rumbled overhead, a streak of lightning illuminated the oppressive clouds, and Fengyu’s eyes burned crimson. She saw the sword pierce Su Ming’s chest, and blood flowing like a river. Su Ming only looked at her affectionately, reaching out to embrace her.
Because of the embrace, the longsword pierced deeper through his body.
This was the most painful hug in the world.
The ultimate division between life and death, yet a bond of kinship that could never be severed.
"Ayu, live well..."
"Grandfather!" Fengyu felt as though the same sword had pierced her own heart. Su Ming collapsed into her arms. Fengyu, distraught, pressed her hands against the ever-flowing blood from his chest, but it was futile. Her hands were soaked in blood, her eyes stung, and the agony of countless daggers pierced her soul. Her bones felt as if they were being shattered to pieces. "Help me... someone save him... Nuanyang... Junjun, someone save him... Grandfather, don’t..."
She frantically tried to reverse Su Ming’s death, only to feel his life slipping away.
"Ah!" Fengyu screamed, broken and enraged. "Lin Cheng, I will kill you!"