Some things should not be spoken of, for once spoken, they come to pass. They traveled for a whole morning without encountering any water sources. Having finally stumbled upon a pond, they quickly dismounted to rest.
Yang Erjian knew his master had been thirsty for a long time. The moment he got off his horse, he went to the pond and drew some water, intending to give it to his master to drink.
Wu Caiwei smiled and instructed Xia He to keep a close eye on the two children, warning her not to be careless, as it would be troublesome if they fell into the pond.
She then took a pot to the pond's edge. Looking at the steaming water surface, she couldn't shake off a faint, fishy smell.
Although she felt it was unlikely to encounter anything other than human malice in the wilderness, out of caution, she scooped up a handful of water and sniffed it. Turning around, she saw Yang Hanye about to drink from a waterskin he had just filled. She quickly shouted, "This water is problematic, it's not drinkable."
Though unsure of what exactly was wrong with the water, Yang Hanye greatly respected Wu Caiwei's opinion and immediately stopped.
Just then, an arrow shot directly at him. He reflexively dodged to the side, the arrow grazing his cheek, leaving him with a lingering sense of dread and a cold sweat.
By the time the second arrow arrived, Wu Caiwei was already in front of him, catching the arrow with her bare hand and throwing it back. A muffled grunt was heard.
She held her breath, observing the surroundings. When she had arrived earlier, she had detected no presence. Clearly, the attackers were highly skilled. It was likely they had entered an encirclement, and the attackers were now closing in. Without a doubt, their target was Yang Hanye.
This time, Wu Caiwei did not leave her family behind to confront the danger alone. Instead, she stayed close to them, guarding them fiercely, fearing that the attackers might target her family and she wouldn't be able to reach them in time.
They did not keep the group waiting long. Soon, a group of masked figures clad in black, swords in hand, appeared before them. Their faces were calm, as if they were carrying out a perfectly ordinary mission.
The moment they appeared before Wu Caiwei, she recognized them as highly trained assassins, cultivated over many years, who held their lives in disregard. Such individuals were the most formidable.
To be safe, before they could react, she threw out a handful of powder hidden in her sleeve. Everyone quickly covered their mouths and noses. Seeing that they were unaffected, they looked at her with confusion, deeming it a futile effort for someone with her supposed skills.
They quickly drew their swords and attacked her. As they fought, they began to feel a growing weakness, their movements becoming sluggish until they were completely immobilized.
Terrified, those facing Wu Caiwei, who couldn't dodge in time, were affected. Those behind her, being farther away and not directly in the path of the powder, had retreated a few steps when she threw it, thus avoiding it.
However, Wu Caiwei breathed a sigh of relief and turned to face the more than a dozen elite assassins behind her.
The assassins knew the woman before them was cunning. They had seen their companions lying on the ground. While engaging her, they remained vigilant, fearing she might employ some hidden trick.
Wu Caiwei, meanwhile, was secretly astonished, wondering who had trained these individuals. Their martial arts were so potent that even in her past lives, they would have been considered top-tier masters. She surmised that the attackers likely intended to eliminate them decisively as they approached the prefectural city.
Unfortunately for them, they had crossed paths with her. Her days of diligent martial arts training had not been in vain. Although these opponents were difficult, each one fell to her sword.
The remaining immobilized figures, seeing that the situation was hopeless, bit into the hidden poison in their mouths, dying with blood streaming from their seven orifices.
Wu Caiwei handed the antidote she had prepared to Yang Er. As the medicine entered his stomach, a warm current spread through his entire body. A look of comfort involuntarily appeared on his face, followed by a puzzled question: "Why was I the only one affected among so many?"
"My medicine is quite special. It doesn't target those without martial arts or with low skill. Those who took my powder and didn't resist with internal energy would be fine. But they were all top masters, incapable of not using their internal energy, hence they were all affected," Wu Caiwei explained with a hint of pride. She had created this powder during their escape, having stumbled upon a raw ingredient. She had made it in her spare time, thinking it might not be useful, but was glad she hadn't discarded it.
Unbeknownst to her, Yang Hanye's gaze towards her deepened. He felt he had known her for too short a time and understood her too little. He was inclined to recruit her but found her too formidable, his heart in a turmoil of struggle.
Wu Caiwei knew their destination was fast approaching. If they had to travel on foot, it would take many days. But they had been riding horses for the past few days, covering hundreds of miles daily. She wondered if they would reach the prefectural city by sunset tomorrow. Sudan Novel Network.
After this incident, they had lost all appetite for cooking. Wu Caiwei looked at the pond with concern, wondering how much poison the attackers had poured into it to deal with them.
She sighed, suppressing her guilt, and led them onward. Traveling further north, they noticed fewer and fewer refugees on the road. Their horses had put them far ahead of others. Moreover, although there were rebels in the south, the Emperor had dispatched troops to suppress them, and attacking cities was not easy. For now, the war and floods had not affected the north.
They arrived at the prefectural city, and it was time to part ways with Yang Hanye. Throughout their journey, he had witnessed her fondness for wealth. A woman openly searching a man without batting an eye. Though he said nothing, he had instructed the shopkeeper of his establishment to deliver two thousand taels of silver to her.
Wu Caiwei knew the upcoming situation. Carrying so much silver was inconvenient and likely to attract unwanted attention. She had him exchange it for two hundred taels of gold.
Looking at the bustling streets, she couldn't help but lament that in the near future, this place would become a living hell. But she knew that if she spoke of it now, not only would she not be believed, but she would be considered a monster. And even if she told them, where could they escape to?
The entire Tian Dynasty was nearing its end. Subsequently, various regional kings would rise in succession, and war would engulf the land. Taxes and levies would continuously increase, making life unbearable for the common people. To expand their power, those who declared themselves kings would constantly recruit soldiers, even stopping people on the streets. Villages would become deserted, with mostly women and children left behind, struggling to find food. Selling children and daughters would become commonplace.
She sighed and, under the perplexed gazes of her companions, purchased some daily necessities and booked several superior rooms. Everyone needed a good rest. Seeing the expressions on her son and daughter-in-law's faces, she knew they believed everyone was safe. She saw no point in shattering their illusions; sometimes, ignorance was indeed bliss.