"What does the Heir Apparent want me to do at the Xie residence?"
Perhaps the Heir Apparent has finally come to his senses and intends to reconcile with Young Master Xie. If so, he is willing to be a peace envoy.
Xu Hengyan said, "Go tell Young Master Xie that Lu Xuan has been apprehended."
Guang Bai knew this was just an excuse. It had been so long, surely Young Master Xie would have received the news already. "Is there anything else?"
Xu Hengyan's lips tightened. He placed the letter in his hand on the desk before him. "She submitted a memorial to His Majesty requesting the suppression of bandits, and His Majesty approved her proposal."
Xu Hengyan looked up at Guang Bai. "Find a way to inquire about her plans. Do not mention that I asked you to."
Guang Bai understood.
The Heir Apparent was worried about Young Master Xie but did not want Young Master Xie to know.
"Your subordinate understands."
If she needed anything, he could...
The words were never spoken.
His Majesty had ordered Ruan Lizhi to allocate five thousand troops to assist her in suppressing the bandits. Coupled with her own men and Yongfeng Village, she likely wouldn't need his help.
~
Guang Bai returned only fifteen minutes later. Seeing his hurried and shocked demeanor, Xu Hengyan had a bad premonition.
"Heir Apparent, Young Master Xie entered the mountains to suppress bandits yesterday."
Xu Hengyan was startled. "Ruan Lizhi's troops haven't even arrived yet! What is she going to use to suppress the bandits?"
Her subordinates were indeed skilled and possessed the most advanced weaponry in Lanyong, but how many people did she have under her command?
Even with the full support of Yongfeng Village, the continuous mountains were the bandits' home turf. For her to venture into the mountains so rashly... Was this a game?
"Are you sure they went into the mountains to suppress bandits?" Not to Yongfeng Village to discuss troop deployment?
"They say Young Master Xie personally led the men into the mountains. Young Master Xie's people also said that the battle might be nearing its end by now."
Xu Hengyan pondered for a moment, then stood up and instructed Guang Bai to prepare horses and gather men immediately. "Accompany me to rendezvous with Young Master Xie."
The servants at the Xie residence were so arrogant in their speech, showing no regard for the infamous Huanglan Mountain bandits. Even less so for Young Master Xie, who dared to trample on the heavens. In her eyes, the Huanglan Mountain bandits were probably made of mud.
Xu Hengyan was worried that she was being too careless.
The ambush at Nanlong Slope, the fall from the rope bridge, and the near drowning in the river—had she already forgotten all those lessons?
~
Xu Hengyan rushed to the lair of the Huanglan Mountain bandits at his fastest speed.
He had been uneasy since the morning, his eyelids twitching inexplicably. He worried that Xie Jiang might encounter some accident.
The more uneasy he felt, the stronger the palpitations became, surging like a tide.
He still had two of the Huanglan Mountain bandits captured last time. Under severe torture, the bloodthirsty Huanglan Mountain bandits were more obedient than household dogs.
Passing through one treacherous mountain peak after another, Xu Hengyan and his party saw thick black smoke rising into the sky above three encampments positioned in a pincer formation from afar.
Clearly, the battle had already begun.
When Xu Hengyan arrived, he saw bodies strewn everywhere. The bandit suppression battle had long since ended.
The people from Yongfeng Village were busy entering and exiting the bandit encampments, searching for valuables.
The Luo brothers, Luo Lu and Luo Shou, were the first to see Xu Hengyan.
"Heir Apparent Xu, why are you here?" The battle was already over.
Young Master Xie hadn't notified the Heir Apparent Xu either.
Young Master Xie had said that this trivial matter was simply a matter of rolling up one's sleeves and getting it done, no need to wait for imperial troops, as they would only get in the way.
"Why are there only you? Where is Young Master Xie?" Xu Hengyan scanned the surroundings, but he couldn't see Xie Jiang, nor her subordinates.
The three substantial and sturdy encampments were reduced to ruins, with thick smoke carrying a pungent odor.
Xu Hengyan immediately thought of the "Thunderclap Eggs" used by Xie Jiang's men.
A small Thunderclap Egg could splatter flesh and blood.
Then, what kind of weapon could have destroyed the three bandit encampments, still emitting black smoke at this moment?
Besides that, there were also holes pierced through the ruins. Heaven knew what new weapons these were!
Xu Hengyan did not believe that Yongfeng Village played any significant role in this battle.
At least half of Yongfeng Village's men had clean sword edges, suggesting they hadn't even had a chance to draw them.
Looking at everything before him, Xu Hengyan finally realized that Xie Jiang's strength far exceeded his imagination.
Lanyong or Nanyang were not, as everyone thought, merely barbarian lands far overseas.
They had so easily destroyed the three encampments of the Huanglan Mountain bandits.
What if their target was Ninghe County, or any city within the Great Yu territory?
In an instant, a chill crawled up Xu Hengyan's spine from his feet.
Fortunately, the Xie family only wished to return to their roots and not to make an enemy of the Great Yu.
The two bandits who led Xu Hengyan's party into the mountains shivered uncontrollably, seeing the nearly leveled encampments and the many mangled corpses.
The imperial army was already so terrifying!
Luo Shou said, "Young Master Xie went to pursue the Winged Tiger. That bastard Winged Tiger was incredibly shameless, pushing his brothers out to die, and while the battle raged on all sides, he himself fled with the valuables through a secret passage..."
Winged Tiger was the title of the current leader of the Huanglan Mountain bandits.
"Young Master Xie went to chase him alone?" Xu Hengyan, usually calm and composed, sounded somewhat anxious.
Luo Shou nodded. "Initially, Young Master Xie went out alone. At that time, the battle was fierce, and no one noticed. Later, Nie Tong and the others went to look for her."
Originally, Yongfeng Village hadn't contributed much. The spoils from the bandit lair should have belonged to Young Master Xie. But Young Master Xie's subordinates didn't even bother to look at them, telling them their own villagers could take whatever they pleased.
With so much silver, and a cartload of silk robbed from who knows where, their villagers were ecstatic.
They came out for a trip, did nothing, and gained so much money for free. Who wouldn't be happy?
Luo Lu could see that Heir Apparent Xu was very worried about Young Master Xie. "It's been a while. She should be back soon. With Young Master Xie's skills, dealing with the Winged Tiger is more than enough."
Xu Hengyan did not feel reassured by this. Instead, his heart became even more anxious.
She went to chase the Winged Tiger alone!
In these deep mountains and old forests, the Winged Tiger was truly in his element!
Her martial arts were formidable, but she had an old injury. How much of her skill remained?
Xu Hengyan said, "Which way did she pursue?"
Luo Shou pointed in a direction. "Two people from our village saw it. Nie Tong and the others also pursued. Young Master Xie should be fine, right?"
Xu Hengyan did not answer. He led his men in the direction Luo Shou indicated and soon disappeared into the dense forest.
The sky gradually darkened.
The guards led by Xu Hengyan spread out like a net.
They encountered several groups of Xie Jiang's subordinates, all of whom said they had not found any trace of her.
The sky had completely darkened.
The roars of wild beasts could be heard from near and far.
Xu Hengyan's heart sank lower and lower.