The sounds of battle spread as arrows rained into the forest. The attack by the outlaws to rescue Fang Qifo was intended as a surprise, but after failing, they quickly scattered. They then regrouped at predetermined locations in the nearby mountains.

Perhaps to avoid being lured away from their main objective, the government forces only pursued them briefly before retreating. They reorganized their ranks and tended to the wounded.

Although the outlaws had various tricks up their sleeves, the government side was led not by the army this time, but by the Ministry of Justice. Many experienced constables from nearby prefectures and counties participated, proving effective against the outlaws, unlike a conventional military force.

Stretchers carrying the wounded passed back and forth along the road, along with the bodies of fallen outlaws, as a group tallied their identities. Amidst the faint scent of blood, a tall, middle-aged man approached the prison wagon. During the fighting, the convoy had halted by the roadside, surrounding the wagon and its prisoner. The middle-aged man then said, "We can proceed, we'll rest at the next station." The convoy began to move again.

The middle-aged man wore official robes, and although tall, his cheeks were gaunt. However, this leanness did not convey weakness. His cheekbones were prominent, his eyes sharp, and his lips were slightly pursed, giving him a fierce and shrewd appearance. His hair was short and, despite being combed, still looked somewhat disheveled. He carried a broad-bladed longsword and emanated the aura of blood. He walked beside the prison wagon, occasionally glancing at the man bound with shackles and iron hooks through his shoulders, confined within.

"How is he?" he asked the guard watching the prison wagon.

"Reporting, Chief Constable, the rebel has been looking at the sky."

"Oh." The chief constable nodded. "Jianghu rumors say that Buddhist Chief Fang Qifo is all-knowing and can read the stars. It's not surprising. I'm just curious, after looking for so many days, what have you figured out?"

He was, of course, speaking to Fang Qifo. The prison wagon creaked and groaned along. After a long while, Fang Qifo blinked. "Chief Constable Tie is too kind. I haven't even read a few books, how would I read the stars? I'm just looking at... where people will go in the future."

"Sounds like the Buddhist Chief has accepted his fate." The chief constable, surnamed Tie, said coldly as he walked alongside the prison wagon. "But if you've accepted your fate, why don't you commit suicide? So many people have died or been injured for you. Although your limbs are useless and your power is gone, you could always bite your tongue off."

His words were monotonous, revealing no emotion. Fang Qifo's expression was also calm and composed. "If the rebel Fang Qifo fails to kill himself and becomes mute, Chief Constable Tie wants to spread the news for everyone to hear, right? If I'm not mistaken, the two constable brothers next to you are doctors, right? If you really want my tongue, why don't you take it yourself?"

"The Buddhist Chief has sharp eyes." Chief Constable Tie cupped his fist in salute. "Before reaching the capital, we really don't want you to die. Of course, I'd like you to be rescued, so we could easily encircle those friends from the Three Mountains and Five Peaks. But they're too disappointing. I don't think they have any chance of success."

"I think so too..." Fang Qifo nodded. "But although I can't read the stars, my ears are still useful. You fought well in the north, but you lost quite a few men in the south... Who came? Can you tell me their names?"

Chief Constable Tie frowned and was silent for a moment. "A master came, but they didn't succeed either. Now we'll see if we can keep them here. You'll know when Brother Zong returns."

Fang Qifo sighed and looked up at the sky. The convoy continued. Soon, someone came to report the situation, and then another team chased up from behind. The leader was also dressed as a chief constable, riding a large horse with two steel whips behind him. This man was even taller and more burly, extremely strong. He dismounted and cupped his fist to the constable surnamed Tie. They whispered for a while: "It was... wounded some people, but ran away."

Although they spoke in hushed tones, Fang Qifo in the nearby prison wagon could still hear the names in their words. His eyes narrowed, and after a moment, he lowered his gaze and closed his eyes. The chief constable surnamed Tie turned to look at him: "We haven't heard anything about them since Hangzhou. They finally came. Just a young girl, and so loyal..."

************

As the prison wagon and constables moved forward, the outlaws gathered in the forest, bandaging their wounds and assessing the casualties. On a hillside, Fang Baihua was discussing the attempted prison break with several people. She overheard the clamor among the assembled heroes, indicating that some wanted to leave.

"The defenses are tight. We were right to suspect that recent news was deliberately leaked by them. The capital is putting pressure on them, so the prison wagon will travel at night, and their defenses will be weak so we are easily deceived and ambushed."

"The Ministry of Justice has seven chief constables. Some rely on their family background, but Tie Tianying and Zong Feixiao are not to be trifled with. We should have expected this."

"What can we do? Say this to those people outside? Now that they've failed, they'll know the advantages and disadvantages."

"However, some people will inevitably take the opportunity to break in, causing a big commotion..."

After Qingxi fell, the remnants of the Yongle faction scattered like birds and beasts. Although Fang Baihua and Fang Qifo's branch attracted a lot of attention, in fact, there were not many people following them. Coupled with the defeat at Pengze Lake, many of Fang Baihua's followers had left, scattered, or been deliberately dismissed. They no longer had the strength to save people.

This time, the main reason everyone wanted to rescue Fang Qifo was because Fang Qifo was still well-liked in Tiannan. Some also wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to make a name for themselves. In short, although people gathered, there was no unified command.

During this period, news spread that the capital needed to escort Fang Qifo north quickly, and a group of soldiers and patrolmen were rushing day and night, with insufficient defense. Fang Baihua and others knew there was a problem as soon as they heard it, but in the Jianghu, people would believe any kind of news. At this time, the Yongle Dynasty no longer had the power to deter, so if everyone believed this and you did nothing, the newly organized rabble might immediately collapse. For this reason, everyone organized an attack, allowing them to understand the situation and quickly withdraw, which was better than waiting for everyone to collapse, even though the casualties made some want to retreat.

In fact, no matter what, it was impossible for Fang Baihua and others to save Fang Qifo at this time. However, the Yongle Dynasty was destroyed, the army was scattered, friends, brothers, and her husband were dead. Apart from rescuing her only remaining brother, Fang Baihua had nothing else to do.

As they were talking, a female soldier who was following her came over and whispered in her ear, "General Chen seems to want to leave and asked me to tell you..."

"Chen Fan?" Fang Baihua frowned. She knew that Chen Fan would never give up on Fang Qifo, but she was still curious. She was about to go find Chen Fan when she heard the female soldier say, "Those people who broke in from the south seem to be... they're here now."

Before she finished speaking, there was a commotion in the forest. Voices could be heard.

"The Overlord Saber..."

"Liu Dabiao? They..."

"It really is..."

"You dare to come? Where were you during Qingxi..."

"Where are your Overlord Saber people? Just a few of you?"

The last two sentences were naturally spoken by the original leaders in the Yongle army. Some had always been dissatisfied with the Overlord Saber Camp. Among the voices, a slightly hoarse voice rang out.

"We're here... do you have any objections?"

"Objections? I'm telling you, I do have..."

"It's not the Yongle Dynasty anymore. Do you think you're still that princess who everyone protects..."

"Don't say that..."

"Everyone take a step back, don't be like this..."

"You want to fight? All the heroes of the world are here today, you..."

The chaotic words rose to a crescendo. Fang Baihua quickened her pace, but then came the sounds of blades being drawn, metal clashing, and banging noises, indicating that the straightforward girl had already wielded the Overlord Saber, pushing, chopping, and crushing all the way. Then came the sounds of people flying out. Fang Baihua rushed out, and it was a chaotic scene. Du Sha, Fang Shuchang, and others had also rushed out to appease the other martial artists.

"Sorry."

"It's okay, it's okay, family matters..."

Starlight scattered down. In the gaps of the trees, the girl pointed the huge blade on the ground in front of her. The Yongle army leader was the one who had been cut and sent flying.

"The Overlord Saber Manor does things with a clear conscience, we don't need to explain ourselves to you."

The girl stood there, her eyes proud. Fang Baihua hurried over and pulled the leader up.

"My brother and sister-in-law treated her like a father and mother. You all know that, yet you still say these words! Everyone, calm down! It's all family matters! Qianqian, you... sigh, come with me..."

In the darkness, Fang Baihua's expression was complicated. As she spoke, Liu Xigua returned her saber to its sheath. At this time, Chen Fan, carrying a bundle, also appeared. Fang Baihua remembered that he was leaving, so she waved to him, "Wait, Chen Fan, come here too." Chen Fan nodded.

The three walked forward. As they came to the edge of the forest, Fang Baihua stopped, took a breath, and turned around. The girl carrying the long case was now silently kneeling on the ground, causing Fang Baihua to be stunned. She quickly went to help her, but the girl was determined and kowtowed.

"Auntie, I'm sorry to you."

"Uh... you..."

Fang Baihua knew that the girl's kowtow was not just to her, but more to the deceased Fang La, Shao Xianying, and the captured Fang Qifo.

"Sigh... you, you still get up..."

After a moment, she helped the girl up. The girl had tears in her eyes, wiped them away, but her gaze was still calm and determined.

"I... Auntie won't hide it from you. After the fall of Hangzhou, you left, and Auntie resented you for it, but that was just Auntie's feelings. I know why you did this. Brother and sister-in-law know too, and they don't resent you... In the end, they said that they felt bad for getting you, a girl, involved in this..."

Fang Baihua had been in the Jianghu for many years. Although she was no longer a female general after the defeat and was dressed in Jianghu clothes, dusty and somewhat worn, she was still heroic and spirited, but she could not help feeling a little sad when she mentioned Fang La. Then she smiled, waved her hand, and turned to look at Chen Fan, "By the way, Chen Fan, they said you're leaving. Where are you going?"

Chen Fan opened his mouth and looked at Liu Xigua: "...Tie Tianying and Zong Feixiao are well-prepared, and they are old Jianghu veterans. We can't save Master like this. I want to go to the capital."

"The capital?" Fang Baihua frowned. "What are you going to do in the capital? Sue the emperor? The security there is tight. Don't say you can't save your Master, you'll just throw yourself in!"

"I'm going to find someone to help."

"Who?"

"I can't say."

Chen Fan answered like that, his eyes on Liu Xigua. Fang Baihua was stunned for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, I know you have your own ideas. You can do what you think is right. Actually... if your Master was here, he probably wouldn't want you to get involved in this."

Chen Fan nodded, carrying his bundle, and turned to leave. Then he turned back: "Liu Xigua, are you going?"

The girl's eyes flickered, and she was unusually distracted: "I, I'm not going..."

"I understand." This answer did not surprise Chen Fan. He nodded and turned around again. The girl said over there: "Things are even now. Going would only cause him trouble."

Chen Fan turned his back to her: "I know you don't want to cause him trouble, but no matter how things were back then, he owes me a life. I can't do this, but maybe he can. I want him to repay this favor... Actually, it would be easier if you went."

"I'm not going." Liu Xigua shook her head.

Chen Fan smiled, shook his head, and turned to leave: "Alright, I'll go see how Sister Qian'er and the others are doing first..."

Fang Baihua heard at this time, was able to realize who they were talking about. She looked at the girl: "You're talking about him... What is he doing in the capital? Can he help save people?"

The girl lowered her head, frowning in embarrassment and shaking her head: "I, I can't say..."

"Uh... alright..." Under the starlight, the wind blew. Fang Baihua sighed softly. She didn't really have any impression of Xigua's husband. After the fall of Hangzhou, Ning Yi made a plan for the Overlord Saber Camp to retreat to the southern border, and then went to the capital to do things. Chen Fan only told Fang Qifo about these things after returning to Qingxi. Fang Baihua didn't actually know about them, which is why she didn't think that finding someone would solve the problem of rescuing Fang Qifo. In her opinion, Chen Fan might be grasping at straws, but at this point, since she didn't have much hope, the result might not matter that much...

At the same time, in the capital, Ning Yi, who had been cruelly abandoned by his wife and concubines, was wholeheartedly engaged in his business plan, preparing for the upcoming promotion of Zhuji.

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