Song Qingan had ridden a horse when he arrived, but they had left in such a hurry that the horse was still tied outside the Immortal Medicine General Association.
It was impossible to go back and retrieve it. As the two were of different genders, sharing a horse was also inappropriate.
Therefore, when they passed the horse market, Feng Yinwan decisively went in and bought another one.
She called it an excuse for hurrying, and Song Qingan knew this, but he went along with it, cooperating fully.
They rode at full speed, and by the time they reached the agreed-upon location, it was already the afternoon of the next day.
Seeing that Jian Ye and the others would not arrive until tomorrow, Feng Yinwan first placed their luggage at the inn and then went out to scout the situation.
Song Qingan was worried about her going alone.
"I'll go with you."
It took only a short while, about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, to get from the inn to Wolong Valley.
The terrain that appeared before them was undulating, the valley narrow and secluded, with a main road passing through it for hundreds of meters, just as shown on the map.
Feng Yinwan squinted, tightening the reins in her hand.
"Let's go up and take a look."
She said, then turned her horse's head towards the top of the valley, and Song Qingan hurried to follow.
As expected, the view from the top of the valley was extremely wide.
Looking down, they could see the situation on the main road in the valley, and looking outwards, they could gaze at the rolling mountains. It was indeed a naturally advantageous terrain.
A hint of admiration flashed in Song Qingan's eyes.
"A valley is a dangerous place. It already has a natural advantage in terms of terrain. This place is indeed suitable for an ambush."
Feng Yinwan's lips curved into a smile at this. "No, the place I chose is outside Wolong Valley."
This statement was somewhat unexpected.
Song Qingan's gaze flickered.
"Why is that?"
"Wolong Valley is complex in terrain. The Northern Shang Kingdom's people escorting such important items will naturally increase their vigilance and speed up their passage through this area."
"If we set an ambush here, they will definitely be on guard."
The Northern Shang Kingdom, known as the Land of Stone Walls, had a climate that fostered extremely resilient physical qualities in its people. Climbing was their forte.
With them on guard, a single Wolong Valley would likely not be able to trap them.
Her riding whip was held aloft, the woman's fair fingertips tracing an arc in the air.
"I plan to make my move there."
She pointed to a place where a faint shimmer of water could be seen.
Song Qingan looked over and recognized it as Qingshi Stream, about two miles away.
"This is the outskirts of the capital, only about thirty miles from the imperial city. They have been on edge all the way, and the Northern Shang Kingdom's people are already exhausted. After leaving Wolong Valley, they will inevitably let down their guard."
"The terrain around Qingshi Stream is open, and it is a place for rest. It is the least likely to arouse suspicion."
"Therefore, choosing to make a move there is the most suitable."
Moreover, she speculated that the person sent by the court to take over the escort would also likely be waiting there.
What they had to do was capture the Bai Mu Ling Xi before the court officials arrived!
As she spoke, her beautiful eyes narrowed, and her face carried a calm demeanor, just like a general analyzing advantages and disadvantages and deploying troops in battle.
Song Qingan watched, his thoughts wandering for a moment.
"Wan'er, what you said is excellent. In terms of military strategy, this is considered superior."
She had merely stated her thoughts, and upon receiving praise, Feng Yinwan felt a little shy.
"Don't tease me. These are just minor tricks. How can they be compared to leading an army in war?"
Besides, she had never thought about such things...
Song Qingan knew where to draw the line. He chuckled and shook his head, saying no more.
Jian Ye and the others arrived on the evening of the next day.
As dusk approached, the fiery red sun slowly descended. The moment its afterglow sank into the water, Feng Yinwan's riding whip fell.
"Move out."
With this command, the team began to move slowly, their target clear: Qingshi Stream.
As everyone took their positions, the last trace of light in the sky was swallowed by darkness. The night had officially begun.
"Miss, everything has been arranged."
Jian Ye came from behind, his expression extremely serious.
Feng Yinwan nodded, tilting her chin towards the dimly visible valley in the distance.
"Take a team and sneak over quietly. As soon as they appear, release the Meng Hun San. Move lightly and don't alert them."
Meng Hun San was a high-level anesthetic with a very faint smell.
If a person were to inhale it, they would experience hallucinations and would find it very difficult to distinguish reality from illusion within half an hour.
The Northern Shang Kingdom's people would undoubtedly be on edge when passing through Wolong Valley. Using poison in this state would be the least likely to be detected.
Jian Ye nodded, turned, and led his men away.
The night deepened.
In the silent, cold night, a point of red light flashed rapidly. Feng Yinwan's beautiful eyes narrowed, and her body tensed.
"Prepare to make a move."
The team quickly formed ranks, standing on the open ground without any concealment.
Song Qingan, following beside her, was secretly startled by this.
She was actually planning to openly take the Bai Mu Ling Xi!
The sound of horses' hooves grew closer in the distance.
The smooth journey had made the Northern Shang Kingdom's people somewhat complacent. Seeing the group of guards waiting by Qingshi Stream from afar, they immediately charged forward.
The man at the forefront, with a pair of silver-inlaid short hammers on his back, had a burly physique and fierce eyes. However, upon seeing Feng Yinwan, he dismounted and knelt on one knee.
"General."
The two words were spoken with some difficulty, but his posture was exceptionally devout, as if he had already mistaken Feng Yinwan for someone from the imperial court.
The Meng Hun San was taking effect.
"Please rise, Esteemed Envoy. I am here under imperial decree to welcome you. We have been waiting for a long time. You have had a hard journey."
Among the more than twenty people from the Northern Shang Kingdom, there was a heavily guarded transport carriage in the middle. The Bai Mu Ling Xi should be on it.
After a brief exchange, the man got straight to the point.
"We are deeply ashamed that the General has come in person. May we present the sacred object to the palace tonight?"
Delay could lead to unforeseen circumstances. The longer it took, the more problems might arise.
Only by delivering the Bai Mu Ling Xi sooner would their mission be considered complete.
This eagerness suited Feng Yinwan perfectly.
With a smile, she nodded. "Naturally."
"You have all worked hard to escort the sacred object. Since we are about to enter the capital, let us conduct the handover here."
"However, as this matter is of great importance, I must personally inspect the sacred object in front of everyone before I can be at ease."
Once the item was handed over, responsibility would also be transferred.
Her request was not unreasonable, but the King of Northern Shang had specifically instructed her before they departed that the sacred object must be opened in front of the Emperor and Empress Dowager of Jing Dynasty.
The man's face showed difficulty.
"General, His Majesty has ordered that the sacred object not be opened until we enter the palace. It is truly inconvenient here..."
"If the General does not trust us, we can escort the sacred object into the imperial city and then hand it over. What does the General think?"
The box containing the Bai Mu Ling Xi was fitted with a mechanism and a secret lock, which only the people of Northern Shang could open.
If it were forced open from the outside, the contents would be immediately incinerated.
She had to make them open it here.
Feng Yinwan's delicate face turned slightly cold.
"Does the Esteemed Envoy distrust this General?"
"It is late, and the palace gates are already locked. I promised to present the sacred object to His Majesty tonight, and I have been considering your convenience. Yet, the Esteemed Envoy is unwilling to reveal it. May I ask how sincere your country is in offering this treasure this time?"
Her tone was not harsh, but it made the man tremble inwardly.
Just as he was about to explain, he heard her continue.
"Or, does the Esteemed Envoy doubt this General's ability?"
"With our dynasty's soldiers present, can just a glance at this sacred object cause any mishap?"
She was smiling, yet an invisible pressure emanated from her.
Cold sweat beaded on the man's forehead.
They said that people from the Central Plains were sharp-tongued and could kill without drawing a sword. Seeing it now, they were indeed formidable.
After hesitating for a while, he finally nodded.
"Alright, then according to the General's wishes, we will conduct the handover here."
Saying this, he gestured to those behind him to open the layers of locks on the carriage.
After repeating this several times, an octagonal box made of black iron appeared before them.
Feng Yinwan's heart tightened, but she kept one hand behind her back, secretly clenching it into a fist, ready to give the order to attack as soon as the Bai Mu Ling Xi appeared.
With a "click," the mechanism on the box opened.
The man carefully brought it forward. "General, please look."
Almost as soon as he spoke, a strong gust of wind whistled past her ear.
Feng Yinwan agilely dodged to the side, and a cold arrow whizzed past her, lodging directly into the transport carriage.
The position of the arrow was less than half an inch from her skull!
There was an ambush!
This thought coincided with the man's cry of alarm.
"Not good, there are assassins!"
Seeing that the box was about to be closed again, Feng Yinwan's heart tightened, and she could no longer hold back, acting directly.
The man was caught off guard by this move, but his body instinctively protected the iron box.
Feng Yinwan's palm landed on his shoulder but did not cause any great disturbance.
The physical strength of these Northern Shang Kingdom people was even more resilient than she had anticipated!
"What does the General mean by this?"
They were still under the influence of the illusion, seeing Feng Yinwan and the others as imperial guards.
The iron box fell, and the mechanism had already been reset. Feng Yinwan's eyes chilled, and she no longer bothered with pretense, her target set on the iron box in the man's hand.
"No, you are not the ones sent to meet us. Who are you!"
As he spoke, several figures appeared in the distance. Those people were wearing soft armor and were genuine imperial guards.
The other party acted with discipline, and had already formed a siege perimeter somewhere outside. It was clear that they had anticipated this.
They had indeed fallen into an ambush.
Song Qingan's brows furrowed. "Wan'er, take it quickly."
Feng Yinwan's eyes narrowed again. She struck out with another palm, "Hand over the Bai Mu Ling Xi."
"Dream on!"
The man's body trembled, and his short hammers were already in his hands.
The strong wind from the hammers whizzed past, pushing back some of the poisonous mist.
In close combat, they would surely have no chance of winning.
Feng Yinwan dodged, and at the same time, two silver needles shot out, one to the left and one to the right, both aimed at vital points in front of the man.
The speed of the silver needles was too fast. Although the man was strong, his movements were not very swift.
After blocking the needle aimed at his heart, he attempted to move again, but the silver needle suddenly changed direction, striking obliquely and piercing directly into his wrist.
"Ugh..."
The tip of the needle was coated with a potent poison. The moment it broke the skin, the poison began to take effect.
Almost instantly, half of the man's arm lost sensation, the iron box slipped from his grasp, and fell to the ground.
Feng Yinwan flew forward, but before her fingertips could touch the box, she was repelled by another cold arrow.
This time, it was still less than half an inch away!
The arrow contained an extremely strong killing intent. Looking up in surprise, she saw that it had come from the top of Wolong Valley!