si-mexico Chapter 452 Zheng State Navy
Chapter 452 Zheng State Navy
Dr. Qian was organizing his medicine kit in the cabin, and would occasionally come out to check on the children.
The shadow guards were scattered throughout the boat, and although the river was calm, their vigilance remained undiminished.
Gu Junze took Chu Ruohan's hand, pulled her to the side of the boat, and pointed to the distant mountains.
“We will go downstream and soon reach the State of Zheng. Once we get there, everything will be safe.”
After several days of sailing, the river became wider and wider, and the scenery on both banks gradually took on the unique beauty of the South.
The air was filled with a moist and warm atmosphere, quite different from the dry and cold air of Beijing.
"Not far ahead, we should be in the territory of the State of Zheng," Gu Junze said to Chu Ruohan beside him, standing at the bow of the boat and gazing at the horizon where the water met the sky.
Chu Ruohan held the now-awakened Qingchen and nodded gently: "I hope everything goes smoothly on this trip, and that I can see Yun-ge'er soon."
Xuan-ge'er tugged at Song Ruyan's sleeve, excitedly pointing to a flock of water birds skimming across the water in the distance: "Auntie, birds..."
He stretched out his forearm and pointed to a white waterbird that was not far from the boat, skimming the water's surface in search of food.
Song Ruyan looked in the direction he pointed, and saw that the waterbird had white feathers and a graceful posture; it was indeed lovely.
Seeing the eager look on Xuan-ge'er's face, she couldn't help but feel playful and said loudly, "Xuan-ge'er likes it? That's easy!"
"Xuan'er, wait and see, Auntie's gotta do it!"
Before she finished speaking, Song Ruyan lightly touched the gunwale with her toes, and her figure floated up like a light feather, her clothes fluttering slightly in the river breeze.
Instead of pouncing directly on the waterbird, she made a clever turn in mid-air, her body gliding like a swallow skimming the water, and landed lightly on a rock protruding from the water in front of the bow of the boat.
The reef was only a few feet away from the flock of waterbirds.
All eyes on the ship were on her.
Xuan-ge'er watched intently, his little mouth agape in a tiny circle.
Song Ruyan stood on the reef, casually untying a thin ribbon from her waist. A confident smile played on her lips, and with a slight flick of her wrist, the soft ribbon seemed to transform into a nimble snake in her hand.
She seized the opportunity, and just as the white waterbird that Xuan-ge pointed out flapped its wings and was about to take off again, she suddenly flicked her wrist!
The hair ribbon seemed to come alive, silently shooting out and precisely wrapping around one of the waterbird's claws.
"Ah!" Xuan Ge'er couldn't help but let out a small exclamation, then covered his mouth with his little hand, afraid of startling the bird away.
The waterbird was startled and flapped its wings trying to break free, but it was no match for Song Ruyan.
With a gentle tug of her wrist, Song Ruyan pulled the waterbird towards her. She floated up again, landing steadily on the deck, now holding a struggling white waterbird in her hand.
"Caught it! Caught it! Auntie is so amazing!" Xuan-ge'er cheered immediately, clapping his little hands and running to Song Ruyan, curiously examining the glossy waterbird.
With a smug smile on her face, Song Ruyan handed the water bird to Xuan-ge'er, but kept a certain distance, and said, "Look, Xuan-ge'er, this is the bird you like."
Seeing this, Chu Ruohan, though still somewhat disapproving of the approach, came over to her son's delight and gently warned him, "Xuan'er, be careful not to get pecked."
Although the waterbird struggled in Song Ruyan's hands, Song Ruyan's skillful technique prevented her from harming it in the slightest; she merely restricted its movements.
Xuan-ge reached out his little hand and carefully touched the smooth feathers of the waterbird, then quickly withdrew it, giggling incessantly.
Little Qingchen, nestled in Chu Ruohan's arms, seemed to be drawn in by the lively scene.
With its big, black grape-like eyes, it looked curiously at the white bird, making "ee-yah" sounds from its little beak.
Shadow One suddenly warned in a deep voice: "General, speedboats are approaching from both the left and right flanks. They are not friendly!"
Gu Junze's expression hardened, and his gaze swept across the river like lightning.
A dozen or so small speedboats shot out from the reeds on both banks like arrows, quickly encircling their cargo ship.
The ship was filled with men in black, armed with weapons, each with fierce eyes and a murderous aura.
"Protect the lady and the child!" Gu Junze shouted, his longsword already drawn. "Fight the enemy!"
Song Ruyan didn't care anymore, drew her soft sword from her waist, her eyes gleaming with excitement, "These guys don't look like ordinary river bandits!"
Chu Ruohan quickly handed Xiao Qingchen to the wet nurse beside her, while she hugged Xuan Ge'er tightly, protecting him in her arms, and at the same time took out the dagger for self-defense from her sleeve.
"Xuan'er, don't be afraid, your mother is here." She whispered to comfort her son, but her eyes were fixed on the approaching enemy.
The men in black moved swiftly and worked in perfect coordination, rushing straight at Gu Junze and his group as soon as they boarded the cargo ship.
The shadow guards immediately rushed forward to engage in combat, and the sounds of clashing swords filled the air.
Gu Junze moved like a dragon, and as he wielded his long sword, several men in black screamed and fell to the ground.
But he soon discovered that these people were far more skilled than ordinary bandits; their moves were ruthless, and they were clearly well-trained killers.
“They’re from Qingmo Valley!” Gu Junze’s eyes flashed with a cold light, his voice icy.
Upon hearing this, Song Ruyan's swordplay became even more ferocious: "So it's these persistent ghosts!"
In an instant, the deck was filled with the sounds of battle and the spray of blood.
The assassins of Qingmo Valley are numerous and fearless. Although each of the Shadow Guards is capable of taking on ten men, they are gradually feeling the pressure.
Chu Ruohan held Xuan-ge'er in her arms, her heart pounding in her chest. She watched Gu Junze fight valiantly amidst the enemy ranks, each sword strike a breathtaking spectacle.
Just as the battle was at a stalemate and Gu Junze's side was gradually compressed into a small area, a powerful horn sound suddenly came from afar.
"Woo--Woo--"
Immediately afterwards, several larger warships sailed upstream from downstream, flying the flags of the Zheng navy at their bows, and quickly surrounded the area.
The archers on the warships were already drawing their bows and ready to fire, and arrows rained down on the black-clad men's fast boats.
"It's the Zheng Kingdom's navy!" Song Ruyan exclaimed in surprise.
Upon seeing this, the assassins from Qingmo Valley were thrown into chaos.
They thought their ambush was foolproof, but they never expected it would alert the Zheng navy.
The Zheng Kingdom's navy was well-trained and acted swiftly, quickly encircling and annihilating the remaining Qingmo Valley assassins.
The river was littered with the wreckage of boats and corpses, and the air was thick with the stench of blood.
Gu Junze sheathed his sword and stood there, his clothes stained with blood, calmly watching the Zheng navy clean up the battlefield.
A moment later, a Zheng State command ship slowly approached the cargo ship where Gu Junze was located. A general in armor with a dignified face boarded the cargo ship, surrounded by several personal guards.
The general's sharp gaze swept over Gu Junze and his group, finally settling on Gu Junze. He asked in a deep voice, "This ship is not an ordinary merchant vessel. Who are you? Why were you attacked by pirates here?"
Chu Ruohan held the child, her heart tightening slightly.
Gu Junze remained expressionless, stepped forward, took out a document and an official seal from his pocket, and handed them to the general.
"This general, Gu Junze, is on imperial orders to travel to the State of Zheng. These are the travel documents and identification seal; please take a look, General."