As he appeared to provide assistance, a clear and sharp whistle sounded nearby, similar to the one You Tong had just blown.
Having narrowly escaped death, You Tong was so shocked that she held her breath. When Fu Yu approached, she quickly offered him her hand.
The assassin spotted the figure in the distance and immediately drew his bow and fired again, a barrage of arrows raining down.
Fu Yu, however, seemed fearless. He stretched out his left arm to shield her, using the carriage wall as cover to avoid the first arrow fired. He brandished his black short sword, deflecting all five arrows that were close at hand amidst the flying sparks—the enemy's force was considerable. His pupils contracted, and taking advantage of the moment when the enemy reloaded, he hugged You Tong tightly, leaped out of the carriage, and moved with lightning speed, hiding behind the rocks he had just spotted.
The iron arrow, carrying a strong wind, struck the rocks with a clang, sending stone chips flying everywhere.
—If Fu Yu hadn't timed it perfectly and acted so quickly, he would have already pierced through her flesh and bone, leaving her either dead or seriously injured.
You Tong was both terrified and delighted, hiding closely beside Fu Yu. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw several dark figures darting out of the woods and rushing towards the group of thugs blocking the road.
The movements in the distant bushes seemed to have stopped; the pursuit of arrows had ceased, but the sounds of battle could be heard.
You Tong's heart pounded. She looked up at Fu Yu, whose face was as dark as ice in the dead of winter, his deep eyes gleaming with a hint of anger. Seeing that she was unharmed, Fu Yu seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and did not linger. He only said in a deep voice, "Hide here. Don't be afraid. I'm here."
As soon as he finished speaking, he leaped out and plunged into the depths of the bushes.
He was already tall and strong, and usually walked with a powerful stride. In this situation, he was even faster than the wind, and in a few leaps, he was already far away. Passing through the bushes, the assassins who had been lying in ambush with powerful crossbows were exposed and were struggling desperately to escape. Trapped by Fu Yu's three bodyguards, each guarding the left, center, and right flanks, they supported each other, relying on their agility and fierce moves to weave a dense net.
When Fu Yu arrived, it was like closing the door to beat a dog or pulling in a net to catch a fish.
A hardened warrior forged on the battlefield, bearing the lives of soldiers and civilians on his shoulders, his hands stained with the blood of countless enemy soldiers, he never hesitated or showed mercy when facing the enemy. Fu Yu's long sword was already drawn from its sheath. Seeing an assassin about to counterattack, his expression grew even more serious. Without pausing his steps, the tip of his sword pierced the opponent's chest with ruthless precision, and then twisted gently.
Blood flowed from the sword, and the intense pain contorted the opponent's expression as he roared amidst the blood and foam.
Before the opponent's curved blade could touch him, Fu Yu shifted his body slightly, not even sparing him a glance, and lunged at his accomplice.
The incident happened suddenly, and behind him was his unarmed wife. Fu Yu's moves were ruthless and deadly, leaving his opponent with only a sliver of life.
In the distance, You Tong clung to the cold, hard stone with both hands, her heart pounding in her chest.
After marrying Fu Yu, she had heard many tales of his heroic battles, but had never actually witnessed them. Only at the beginning of the year, when he led his army south to quell a rebellion, did she vaguely glimpse the imposing presence of the Yongning Military Deputy Commander under his banner. Now, watching the figures entangled and falling in the distance, though she couldn't discern the details of the battle, she felt that Fu Yu was as swift as a beast, his long sword in hand, invincible.
My heart was filled with mixed feelings—fear, panic, surprise, and joy—but I had no time to analyze them in detail.
She just stared at that figure from behind, her heart pounding, her fists clenching involuntarily, her palms sweaty.
...
The battle was fierce and swift, with Fu Yu personally taking action to wipe out the ambushing assassins.
The local thugs, though numerous, were mostly unskilled, like scattered hyenas on the grasslands. They could only outnumber a few junior officers, let alone withstand the ruthlessness of several bodyguards. Besides, they were only ordered to kidnap a beautiful woman and do some bad things, not even to kill anyone. Who knew they would encounter assassins who would take their lives?
As the iron arrows pierced the air and rained down upon them, their legs went weak with fear. When they saw someone rushing towards them with a fierce expression, they trembled even more and, disregarding everything else, fled in panic.
The guards didn't even need swords; with their iron fists and feet alone, they knocked the group to the ground, where they begged for mercy and howled incessantly.
When Fu Yu returned after dealing with the assassins, the thugs all begged for mercy, squatting in a circle on the road, not daring to lift their eyes.
Fu Yu glanced at them coldly, then ordered his guards to take the leader back and hand the others over to the city patrol. Since the carriage was broken, he also had several of Fu family servants taken back along the way. After giving the orders, he walked over to You Tong.
The sky had turned overcast sometime earlier, with dark clouds looming in from afar. A cool breeze blew by, rustling through the grass and trees.
Fu Yu's expression was gloomy and fierce, like a cold, sharp sword. The bloodstains on his dark clothes were not noticeable, but traces of blood still remained on his cold and handsome profile. Against the backdrop of the dense, gloomy clouds, he looked chilling and intimidating.
When he saw that You Tong was safe and sound, his gaze softened a little, and he stopped in front of her.
Then she saw worry in her eyes and asked anxiously, "Is my husband hurt?"
Seeing Fu Yu shake his head, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She was dressed in thin clothes, obediently hiding behind a rock, not daring to move an inch. Amidst the lush green thatch, her begonia-colored brocade robe, with its cross-collar design, was exquisitely beautiful, and beneath it, a soft ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) was embroidered with scattered silver cranes, spread out on the ground. She had left the city today in high spirits, her eyebrows delicately drawn, her almond-shaped eyes bright red, and her lips lusciously red. Yet now, fear lingered in her beautiful eyes, and her face was slightly pale, devoid of color.
The sudden appearance of that cold arrow must have scared her half to death.
—The iron arrow took his life; such a vicious intention was something even he hadn't anticipated.
Fu Yu's eyes darkened slightly. He bent down and reached out his hand to You Tong. When her soft fingertips reached out, he grasped them firmly and pulled her up.
You Tong had almost lost her mind just now. Although Fu Yu had saved her, she was still terrified by the scene and her legs went weak. During the fierce battle, her mind was completely focused on Fu Yu. Only now had she calmed down a little and tried to get up by holding onto a rock. But as soon as she moved her ankle, a sharp pain shot through her. She bent over and squatted down halfway up her leg, hissing in pain.
Fu Yu's expression tightened, and he crouched down, asking, "What's wrong? Are you injured?"
"Ankle." You Tong gasped. "It hurts so much."
"Which foot?" Fu Yu immediately lifted the hem of her skirt. He had initially thought she was injured by an arrow, but seeing that her stockings were white and bloodless, he was slightly relieved. Hearing that she said it was her right foot, he touched her ankle and whispered, "It's probably sprained." Looking back, he saw that the two groups of guards were carrying out their orders, and Chuncao and the others had also followed orders to surround the guards, not daring to disturb them.
The wind howled stronger in the mountains and fields, and the dark cloud seemed to be advancing rapidly, reaching overhead in an instant.
In the height of summer, torrential rain can pour down in an instant, and there is nowhere nearby to take shelter or seek medical attention.
Fu Yu glanced at the sky, and before You Tong could struggle to get up, he picked her up horizontally and then whistled softly.
The sound was not loud, but it was long and drawn out. After a moment, the sound of hind hooves approached, and it was the shadowy figure of his mount.
"Let's find someone to take shelter from the rain first," he said, placing You Tong on the horse's back before mounting himself and pulling her into his arms.
His chest was broad and warm, pressed against her back. You Tong had just been on the verge of death and was terrified. Now that she was relaxed, she felt unbearable pain in her ankle, but she dared not make a sound and worry Fu Yu. So she just tried her best to endure it, her eyes slightly red.
Warm breath brushed against his ear; it was Fu Yu's voice. "Bear with it for now. I'll apply the medicine to your wound once we find a place to stay."
A gentle touch shines through his cold, murderous intent.
Still shaken and tormented by the pain in her ankle, You Tong leaned against him, and hearing his voice, her eyes inexplicably welled up with tears. She glanced at the flustered guards, realizing the situation was urgent and shouldn't be delayed, so she endured the pain and tried to keep her voice steady, "No need to delay, I can handle it. This whole thing is strange, I'm a little scared. Let's go back to the manor as soon as possible, okay?"
Fu Yu hesitated, then saw her turn around and look at him, her eyes filled with pity and her eyes reddening.
It was like warm water washing over a cold, hardened heart; for a moment, I couldn't bear to go against her wishes.
Fu Yu tightened his arms and said gently, "Then bear with it, and we'll call a doctor when we get back."
...
After speeding along the mountain road for a while, a torrential downpour began. The rain, blowing against the wind in the direction of returning to the city, mostly soaked Fu Yu's back. In contrast, You Tong, petite in stature, was nestled in Fu Yu's arms and barely got wet. The black shadow moved with lightning speed, its hooves moving like lightning. As it sped off, the only sounds were the whistling wind and rain, and the trees along the roadside were blurred in the rain.
You Tong simply closed her eyes and let Fu Yu ride his horse at full speed.
When they arrived at the Fu family's door, the sudden rain gradually subsided.
Fu Yu, soaked to the bone, saw the steward arrive and ordered someone to fetch a doctor. Then, disregarding the stares of everyone, he scooped You Tong up in his arms and strode inside. He held a high position and wielded considerable power, was usually indifferent to women, and treated everyone with a stern and imposing manner, rarely showing any gentleness even to Fu Lanyin. The servants in the manor, all long-time accustomed to Fu Yu's aloofness, stared in disbelief through the rain.
Two maids who were delivering things in the rain even forgot to bow when they saw him. They only realized what was happening after Fu Yu had passed by like a whirlwind and hurriedly made up for it.
This situation made You Tong feel a little uncomfortable.
However, despite her wavering mind, she also had important matters weighing on her mind that could not be delayed, so she asked, "Now that the assassin has been captured, will my husband go and deal with him personally later?"
"Yes, the culprit must not be let go."
"I was thinking about this on the way here. Since the assassins were after me, there must be a reason. There are two things I want to remind you, my husband." She wrapped her arms around Fu Yu's neck, wiping the raindrops from his temples and cheeks, and whispered in his ear, "First, at the 100-day celebration, Shuangxi said she had seen a painting at the residence of Prince Wei Jian of Xiping that looked a lot like Wei Tianze..."
Before he could finish speaking, Fu Yu frowned, suddenly stopped, and whispered, "Wei Tianze?"
"Yes, I wanted to remind my husband, but I was distracted by something else and didn't have time to say it."
"What happened?"
You Tong then relayed Du Shuangxi's words from that day, along with the fact that they had heard a commotion but couldn't find anyone.
Upon hearing this, Fu Yu's expression darkened further, but he didn't say much and instead asked about the second matter.
"The second thing is that the carriage I was riding in today kept having problems, which is very strange." You Tong had long suspected that Shen was acting suspiciously, and after this incident, she was even more certain, so she briefly explained what had happened.
The road from the gate of the mansion to the South Tower was not short. She picked out the important points to talk about and explained the two matters clearly when she arrived at the South Tower.
Fu Yu's face was so gloomy it looked like a storm was brewing.
When Wei Tianze suddenly visited that day and asked him to leave the city under some pretext, he felt something was wrong, but he didn't know why. Now that he thinks about it, it was because Wei Tianze overheard Du Shuangxi's words and was afraid that You Tong would inform him. He didn't dare to take action in the mansion, so he hurriedly used official business to trick him into leaving the city and then took the opportunity to silence him.
But how did Aunt Shen get involved in all of this?
Chapter 70 Headache
Fu Yu carried You Tong back to the South Tower in a ostentatious manner. Not only were the servants they encountered along the way surprised, but even the people inside the South Tower were almost dumbfounded.
The torrential rain washed the wall of the courtyard in the south building, which was covered with creeping violets, into a fresh green. Because You Tong liked to arrange flowers with water when she had free time, Yan Bo and the others were pruning a few newly picked spider lilies, their bright red petals blooming delicately, beautiful and enchanting. Everyone who was gathered together admiring the flowers turned around at the sound of movement at the door, and saw their general carrying the young mistress as he strode in.
You Tong was soaked by the rain, her thin summer dress outlining her graceful figure. Her arms were wrapped around Fu Yu's neck, her head buried in his shoulder, her expression a rare display of shyness, as if she didn't want others to see her. The usually dignified and stern deputy military envoy, now completely drenched, stood in the lingering drizzle, holding the beauty in his arms, his face expressionless, raindrops rolling down his face.
Along with Yanbo, all the maids in the courtyard were stunned to see the two who had suddenly returned in such a disheveled state and were behaving intimately.
As Zhou Gu was more experienced and knowledgeable, after a moment of surprise, she immediately bowed and said, "General, Young Madam."
These words were like a wake-up call, and the maids and servants nearby hurriedly followed suit and bowed.
Fu Yu didn't stop and went straight into the house, instructing, "The young mistress has sprained her ankle. Get ice and a cold towel."
As he spoke, he carried her straight into the inner room and placed her on the chaise longue where she often leaned to relax.
Upon receiving the order, the maids outside quickly put away their wicked thoughts and soon filed in carrying ice and basins of water.
Fu Yu told them to put it down and bent down to help You Tong take off her shoes and socks.
You Tong was taken aback and quickly pressed down gently.
"Since it's just a sprained ankle, it's nothing serious. The doctor will be here soon to help apply the medicine, so you don't need to worry, husband." She was too embarrassed to let Fu Yu take off her shoes and socks in front of everyone, so she leaned closer and whispered, "Things outside can't be delayed, husband, you should focus on important matters."
Fu Yu hesitated, "Are you sure it's alright?"
Just now in the countryside, he clearly saw that her eyes were red from the pain. When he touched her through her stockings, he could see that her delicate ankle was also a little swollen. She was a delicate woman, unlike him, who was resilient and could curl up like a shrimp from pain even from eating something cold. This kind of injury might not be easy for her to endure.
You Tong simply smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, Aunt Zhou and the doctor are all here, it's alright."
As he spoke, he gave Yanbo a wink.
Yanbo immediately came over and helped her take off her shoes and socks. This morning, Zhou Gu saw her leave happily for the banquet, but now she returned injured and disheveled, and Chuncao and her companions were nowhere to be seen. She had a feeling that something was wrong, so she hurriedly went to get clean and tidy clothes for Huanxi and came over to take care of her with a worried look on her face.
The room was filled with maids and servants, and Fu Yu, seeing her urging expression, did not linger any longer.
He instructed others to take good care of her, then went inside to change into dry clothes before heading out of the mansion.
...
This time, he openly left the city while secretly launching a counterattack, using only people trusted by Du He.
The assassins and the thugs awaiting trial were not brought into the city, but were instead sent to a secret prison outside the city. He moved swiftly, and because he had arranged for people to keep an eye on Wei Tianze's movements, he was not afraid that Wei Tianze would escape the inescapable net of Qizhou. After leaving the mansion, he went straight to the secret prison to interrogate him personally.
He was in charge of military regulations and commanded scouts; his ruthless and iron-fisted approach commanded respect and fear from everyone in the army.
The thug, terrified by the scene, fled in panic. He was brought back in custody and imprisoned in a dark, gloomy dungeon, trembling with fear. Upon seeing Fu Yu's face, he vaguely recognized him as the renowned General Fu of Qizhou. Remembering the warning from the beautiful young woman by the carriage, he was instantly terrified and wet himself. Even without Fu Yu using torture devices, he was too intimidated by Fu Yu's imposing presence to withstand it, and quickly vomited everything up.
He was originally a street ruffian who spent his early years hanging out with local thugs. After coming of age, he took over their trade and acquired some martial arts skills. He knew many people from all walks of life and engaged in shady dealings. This time, someone had offered him a large sum of money to wait there with some of his men, saying that someone would bring business to his door. He didn't know that the other party was a woman from the Fu family, and thus foolishly went there to ambush her.