At the mention, everyone's eyes lit up immediately. They all knew that following Ping Xinian meant making money, but they never expected it to be this lucrative.
However, Liu'er was extremely worried. Whether this matter succeeded or not, these people were surely doomed.
But what about her?
She knew too many secrets of her young lady. Now that her young lady was becoming more and more paranoid, she would surely be disposed of by her young lady sooner or later.
When Yi Qing arrived in Tanyang, it was already morning. She didn't enter the city but sent an envoy from the Southern Border to meet the prefect of Tanyang, asking the prefect to escort them. Without any rest, they continued on their journey.
Qiao Ye had already informed the prefect of Tanyang. The prefect was bound to talk in official jargon, which was exactly what Yi Qing had anticipated, so she only left one person there.
When Lu Tianxun arrived in Tanyang, he saw the message left by Yi Qing and her group and immediately followed them.
Right after they left, Ping Xinian caught up with them in Tanyang.
Ping Xinian was very familiar with Southern Fujian and had made preparations in advance, so she was much faster than Yi Qing and her group.
Upon arriving in Tanyang, she entered the city, and the prefect secretly led Ping Xinian and her group into the yamen.
"Madam Qiao, the people have been left here," the prefect said obsequiously.
"What about the others?" Ping Xinian looked through the window lattice at the envoy sitting in the hall.
"They said they were staying in the posthouse outside. General Xiao is so noble that he asked us to clean the long street to welcome him. The mansion he'll stay in must be large, and there should be fire - prevention measures," the prefect of Tanyang thought General Xiao was being too overbearing.
"A bunch of useless fools," Ping Xinian said and led her people away.
Yi Qing had made a grand entrance in Lingchuan City but didn't intend to stay in Tanyang at all. She was just making Ping Xinian waste time here. Ping Xinian was determined to see how far Yi Qing could run with the unconscious Xiao Jinghan.
Indeed, Yi Qing was slower with the unconscious Xiao Jinghan. Before they reached Shuofeng, they were caught up with by Lu Tianxun and his group. Lu Tianxun brought the escort team from the Southern Border, and their group became grand again.
"Two days after passing Shuofeng, we'll leave Southern Fujian. As long as we're out of Southern Fujian, we'll be safe," Yi Qing's mind became even more composed.
Ping Xinian was already cornered. The closer they were to leaving Southern Fujian, the more desperate she would be. Yi Qing had a premonition that she might encounter Ping Xinian.
Lu Tianxun also knew that the situation would become more dangerous as they got closer to the end. At this point, Qiao Ye might also intervene. "What's your plan?"
"We've already tried both the relaxed and the tense strategies. Moreover, once we're out of Southern Fujian, she won't have any more chances. This time, we can only face her head - on," Yi Qing said calmly. "You guys take Xiao Jinghan and hide. I'll go meet her."
"No way," Lu Tianxun immediately refused. "If something happens to you, what will happen to your two children? If General Xiao doesn't wake up, they'll have no one to rely on. If General Xiao wakes up, who here can survive?"
Yi Qing really couldn't think of any other way. Even if she knew what Ping Xinian was up to, she couldn't change the situation.
"Are you so sure we can't beat them?" Wu Min looked at the two with their solemn expressions. "There are a lot of insects in Southern Fujian. Give me some time, and I can control some of them."
Lu Tianxun and Yi Qing looked at Wu Min.
"Really. The most basic skill of our Southern Border's Gu art is insect control. I might not be able to do much outside of Southern Fujian, but there are still plenty of insects here," Wu Min said.
Yi Qing thought for a while. "What kind of environment do you need?"
"Preferably a more secluded place with more insects," Wu Min said directly.
"Zhuyin Valley in Southern Fujian is the only way to leave Southern Fujian by land. It's always damp and is a very famous place with a lot of insects in the Great Jin Dynasty," Lu Tianxun said.
"Great," Yi Qing had come by waterway and didn't know about Zhuyin Valley.
"After passing Shuofeng, it's Zhuyin Valley. If we hurry, we'll reach Zhuyin Valley tomorrow," Lu Tianxun suggested.
"Let's hurry," Yi Qing didn't even think about it.
Ping Xinian and her people chased after them non - stop. She roughly calculated their speed and thought she should be able to catch up with Yi Qing in Shuofeng. This time, she was going to kill Yi Qing and her group directly. Even if it meant perishing together, she couldn't turn back at this point.
Yi Qing and her group didn't even stop in Shuofeng. They directly showed their identities. The officers and soldiers guarding Shuofeng wanted to stop them but were intimidated by Yi Qing's domineering aura and had to let them pass.
Right after they passed the Shuofeng checkpoint, the scout reported that there were pursuers.
"I'll lead some people to intercept them. You go ahead and prepare," Lu Tianxun reined in his horse and looked at Wu Min. "Don't worry. I'm just going to delay them. You guys send me a signal when the time comes."
"No need to intercept. Let's go together," Yi Qing spurred her horse and left.
Wu Min looked up at the cliff, took out the bone flute hanging around her neck, and started playing. Soon, a dark cloud of bats flew over and headed towards the pursuers.
"Batmen?" Yi Qing was so scared that she lay on her horse's back. "Hurry up."
Thanks to the bats' interception, they successfully reached Zhuyin Valley. It was much wider than Wu Gorge, with towering cliffs on both sides and a rather dim bottom.
"Mr. Lu, you guys go make the arrangements," Yi Qing took out the food and drinks from the carriage.
"Are you just going to eat while we're busy?" Wu Min was indignant.
"I'm buying time for you guys," Yi Qing found a relatively flat rock and started arranging the things.
"Are you going to face Ping Xinian directly?" Lu Tianxun knew what Yi Qing was going to do.
"What else?" Yi Qing put her ear to the ground. "They'll be here soon. You guys hurry up and get ready."
"What if..." Lu Tianxun was worried.
"Don't worry. She definitely has a lot to say to me," Yi Qing pointed at the gravel beside the rock. "Clean this up."
Two secret guards immediately went over to clean the stones.
Lu Tianxun thought for a while. "Leave the honor guard. The others go into ambush."
Just as Yi Qing finished arranging the things, Ping Xinian's people arrived. There were hundreds of them, including Japanese pirates, martial artists, and soldiers from the Great Jin Dynasty.
The silver Ping Xinian offered was more than what they could earn in a lifetime as soldiers, so naturally, there were people willing to take the risk for wealth.
Ping Xinian reined in her horse and looked at Yi Qing. The wound on her face from the wasp sting hadn't fully healed, making her look a bit ridiculous. "Why don't you run anymore?"
"Why should I run?" Yi Qing said leisurely. "What's wrong with your face? Do you want me to treat you?"
Ping Xinian looked around. She knew there were ambushes here. "Since you're not running, stay here forever."
Yi Qing laughed. "Miss Ping is still as confident as before, but you never seemed to win before."
Hearing this, a hint of gloom appeared in Ping Xinian's eyes. "So what? It only matters who can laugh last."
"Who can laugh last?" Yi Qing repeated and nodded. "From the moment you made this choice, you can never be the one who laughs last."
Today, the only possible outcomes were either Yi Qing and her group staying here forever and the Ping and Qiao families being executed to the last person; or Yi Qing and her group winning by a fluke and the Ping and Qiao families still being executed to the last person.
Yi Qing's outcome might change, but the fates of Ping Xinian and the forces behind her were already sealed.
"I only need to see you guys die," Ping Xinian didn't care.
"For this, you can disregard the lives of the people in Lingchuan City and ignore the well - being of your family," Yi Qing stared at Ping Xinian.