Yu Yao returned to the horse racing ground and saw Xuan Yuan City chatting and laughing with several noble young gentlemen from the capital, creating a harmonious scene.
She didn't go over there instead, but went back to wait by the carriage.
Thoughts swirling in her heart, she pondered over how to resolve this matter.
About the time it takes to brew a pot of tea.
Xuan Yuan City returned, seeing her staring blankly at a certain direction, not even realizing his approach, and he didn't know what she was thinking about.
Xuan Yuan City stopped his steps in front of her, gently pulling back the scattered strands of hair from her ear and softly asking, "What's wrong? Is it because the king was not present that someone bullied you?"
Yu Yao quickly gathered her wits, meeting his concerned eyes, feeling an extremely complex mix of emotions.
She wanted to tell Xuan Yuan City everything, but she was afraid that he couldn't accept it, and in the end, he would kill her.
She lowered her head slightly, avoiding the intense and concerned gaze of him, "My lord, there is nothing wrong with me. I am just a bit tired."
Xuan Yuan City smiled slightly, "Then, you should return to the palace and rest early."
"East Wind, let's return to the city."
He spoke in a deep voice to the East Wind behind him.
Both of them quickly got onto the carriage.
The carriage slowly left the horse racing ground and, before it could even return to the city, something unexpected occurred as it passed through a dense forest.
A group of well-trained black-clad men appeared from the dense forest like ghosts, their aura chilly, clearly indicating that they were assassins.
Their target was clear; they all attacked the carriage.
East Wind and South Wind had long since become accustomed to such scenes. Upon seeing that something was wrong, they immediately drew their weapons and stood in front of the carriage to protect it.
However, there were just too many black-clad men, each of them skilled in martial arts and their techniques were incredibly strange.
It seemed as if they had suddenly appeared from nowhere.
East Wind and South Wind's martial arts skills were not weak, even very strong, but no matter how strong they were, they still couldn't withstand four hands. They regretted not bringing more people with them when they left.
The two of them were gradually losing, with injuries on their bodies and appearances quite disheveled.
Fucking hell, where the hell did these rats come from? I won't let them get away without me finding out..."
East Wind's shoulder was cut, and a large amount of blood soaked his clothes. The pain made him grind his teeth and curse.
However, his expression was extremely fierce, and he chopped the black-clad man in front of him into two halves, clearing a bloody path.
He rushed to the carriage side with incredible speed, shouting loudly, "Master, there are too many enemies. It's too late to call for reinforcements from within the city, but the Cavalry Camp is thirty miles away. Can we call for help from there?"
Xuan Yuan City was sitting in the carriage, his face ashen. Upon hearing Dongfeng's words, he threw out a token without hesitation and loudly ordered, "Hurry up!"
Dongfeng knew the situation was urgent, picked up the token on the ground, and turned to South Wind, saying, "South Wind, protect our master at all costs!"
South Wind was engaged in fierce combat with the black-clad men but did not forget to respond to Dongfeng, "Don't worry and go. I would not let anything happen to our master even if I die."
Dongfeng knew that South Wind was loyal and had no doubts in his words. He managed to break through the encirclement and rode at full speed with the token, calling for help.
The black-clad men in the dense forest were pouring out one after another, and their numbers kept increasing.
Burto, the leader of the Western assassins hidden deep in the dense forest, narrowed his eyes to observe the battle. Seeing no movement from within the carriage for a while, his brow furrowed deeply.
"What's wrong with Yu Yao? I've already warned her, why isn't she attacking?"
His voice was filled with displeasure.
"Leader, could it be that she has fallen in love with Xuan Yuan City and forgotten her mission?"
Ha Wule, who was by his side, heard Burto's words and also felt that something was wrong. He furrowed his brow and said.
Burto's face darkened, and he gritted his teeth, "Dare she? If she dares to defy the command of the king, I will make her life a living hell."
"For now, we can ignore her. Do everything possible to kill Xuan Yuan City. As long as he is alive, the Western regions will forever be subordinate to Jingguo."
Burto's expression darkened again as he spoke.
"Yes!"
Ha Wule nodded slightly and turned his back to gesture towards a certain direction in the dense forest.
Instantly, the black-clad men in the dense forest surged out like a tidal wave, growing in number and density, as if locusts had descended, an extremely terrifying sight.
Xuan Yuan City was sitting in the carriage, his face ashen. Who had the audacity to attempt to assassinate him in the outskirts of the capital?
Clanging sounds of battle erupted outside the carriage, with swords clashing and blades intersecting. Some people began to close in on the carriage and randomly started hacking away with their weapons.
Xuan Yuan City tightly held Yu Yao's hand, his face stern and unspoken.
"Xuan Yuan City, come out. I can still spare your life."
Yu Yao's heart tightened. This voice was too familiar to her, or rather to the original owner. It was Ha Wule's voice.
Just like the original owner, both were assassins from the Western Royal Court.
Thinking about the assassins outside, she felt more and more tense.
"Who are you."
Xuan Yuan City did not go out but remained seated in the carriage, answering coldly.
"You don't need to know who we are. We are just simply unable to bear sight of it and want to do some good for the people."
Ha Wule spoke loudly from outside the carriage.
"Hmph, eliminating evil for the people? I am the War God of Jingguo, with numerous military achievements, defending the entire territory of Jingguo. How have I become a scourge? Speak, who is your master?" Xuan Yuan City said coldly from within the carriage.
Xuan Yuan City's face was extremely cold, feeling that this excuse was absurd.
Ha Wule snorted coldly, "You are indeed the War God of Jingguo, but the number of families that have been ruined because of you is not small. Hurry up and come out, or we will make holes in your carriage."
Xuan Yuan City's expression was ambiguous, and from the brief conversation, he had already discerned that these people spoke with a Western accent.
This means that these people are sent by the Western Royal Court.
He looked at the woman beside him, thinking about how she was also from the Western regions and wondering if she was aware of this situation.
He didn't want to suspect her.
Suddenly, a cold arrow pierced through, luckily the carriage was sturdy enough that only a little bit of the cold, sharp arrowhead penetrated in, but most of it remained outside.
Xuan Yuan City held her tightly, "Don't be afraid. Hold onto me tightly, and I will protect you."
"With the king here, I am not afraid."
Yu Yao spoke with complete trust in her face.
Xuan Yuan City opened the car door, picked her up, and jumped down, rolling several times on the ground.
He protected Yu Yao fiercely, and she was not seriously injured.
But he was injured in his back and arms due to some sharp fragments of stone on the ground.
South Wind quickly rushed over and cleanly cut down the black-clad men that were surging towards them.
"Master, are you okay?"
South Wind asked with concern.
Xuan Yuan City's gaze swept over South Wind, "Clear a path."
"Yes, master."
South Wind brandished his longsword, madly hacking a blood path.
Xuan Yuan City rushed into the dense forest with Yu Yao.
The black-clad men were in hot pursuit behind them, and the killing intent filled the entire forest.
The two of them were weaving through the dense forest.
It appeared that Xuan Yuan City was protecting Yu Yao, but she, with her training as an assassin, skillfully led Xuan Yuan City around obstacles and traps.
The leader of the Western assassins, Burto, saw that not only did Yu Yao not kill Xuan Yuan City, but instead, she was leading him away and avoiding his traps. Her face darkened to an alarming degree.
"Damn it, dare to betray the Western Royal Court, you are really deserving of death."
He cursed through gritted teeth, his voice extremely sinister.
"Don't worry about her, kill her along with the rest."
Burto ordered coldly and mercilessly to the people around him.
Over here, the two of them continued to flee with no direction in mind, just going wherever there was a path.
Suddenly, a steep slope appeared in front of them, with raging waters flowing below.
Xuan Yuan City's expression was hesitant.
Xuan Yuan City looked down at the woman in his arms, "Yao'er, are you scared?"
"With the king here, I am not afraid."
Yu Yao spoke seriously.
"Good."
Xuan Yuan City wrapped her body around her, avoiding any cuts and scrapes, and leaped down without hesitation.
