Ashes to Crown

Chapter 213: Chapter 38: Hope

This is what you call a hero saving a damsel in distress.

The King of Zhongshan roared with laughter when he heard.

”My son, you’re a natural at this,” he said. ”It’s happened time and time again.”

The first time they met, Xiao Xun rescued the girl from the water, but she showed no gratitude, nor did she even offer a word of thanks.

The second time was even more of a joke. Xiao Xun went into the water because of her, but she just stood on the bank and watched the show.

This third time, the girl would be abducted by some riffraff—be it remnants of the Zhao Family, partisans of the Third Prince, remnants of the Yang Family, or spies from Western Liang—and then Xiao Xun would come to her rescue...

Will he succeed?

The King of Zhongshan asked his son mockingly.

Of course, Tie Ying would never mock the Princely Heir, but he did think it was unnecessary.

”That Chu Zhao is too cunning. How could she possibly fall for it?”

In fact, the moment Xiao Xun appeared, Chu Zhao would know for certain that the men besieging her had been sent by him.

However, before Xiao Xun could speak, Tie Ying thought for a moment more and said, ”I get it now. The Princely Heir is putting on a rescue for the world to see.”

...

...

At present, relations between the court and the King of Zhongshan appeared normal, but in truth, the surging undercurrents could no longer be concealed. Troops were massing outside Zhongshan County, and large forces were also moving in from the Border County.

The whole of Zhongshan County was being encircled. Entry and exit were now under much stricter scrutiny than before. The official pretext was still the pursuit of the remnants of the Third Prince and the Zhao Family, but it was only a matter of time before the King of Zhongshan’s name would be added to the list of rebels and traitors.

Of course, for the Prince Zhongshan Mansion, this was no cause for fear or tension, much less panic.

From the day the King of Zhongshan left the Capital City for Zhongshan County, he had been waiting for the court to brand him a rebel and traitor.

He was used to it and had long been prepared.

A constant stream of intelligence flowed from the Capital City, the court, and the Imperial City. Xiao Xun knew everything, from major court decrees to details as minor as the shoes the Empress wore to a grand ceremony.

Upon hearing that the Empress had been enthroned alongside the Xiao Emperor and was holding court with him, the King of Zhongshan clapped his hands in admiration. ”Impressive, most impressive. Truly, a tiger father has no cowardly daughter.”

Xiao Xun smiled and corrected him. ”Father, it’s more a case of the student surpassing the master. Chu Ling wouldn’t have dared to do such a thing, nor would he have wanted to.”

But Chu Zhao both dared and desired it.

That girl wasn’t defined by who her father was; she was her own person. All of this had always been her own idea.

Hearing Tie Ying’s words, Xiao Xun gave a small smile. ’It used to be that way. In my eyes, that girl was just like anyone else. Whether I smiled at her, grew angry with her, or treated her any other way, it was all a performance for others. But now...’

He gazed into the distant night and smiled faintly. ”No. This time, I’m putting on a show for her.”

He would show her that he could save her, but he could also kill her.

He was not afraid of the court’s armies, nor was he afraid of the charge of treason.

If she wanted to be the Empress, he could make her wish come true.

”Go tell our men,” he ordered Tie Ying. ”Once they’ve captured them, kill everyone else in front of her.”

”Yes, my lord,” Tie Ying replied, arching an eyebrow. ”I imagine Miss Chu will be terrified.”

This would also serve to teach her that the schemes of this world weren’t as simple as falling into the water and being gifted a maidservant. They were matters of life and death.

Xiao Xun smiled. ”She’s very brave. She won’t be terrified, but she will definitely be heartbroken.”

’Once her heart is broken, she’ll never be able to forget me.’

...

...

The night was tranquil beyond the mountains, but within them, fires raged.

A murderous aura sent a tremor through the entire forest.

Chu Zhao stood behind a large rock, her back pressed against the cliff face, watching the sea of torches that seemed to stretch out before her.

”Their earlier retreat was not just to lure us into breaking out,” she said. ”It was to wait for reinforcements.”

Their forces were much larger this time. They were determined to win.

Chu Zhao looked around again. The survivors were all injured. Most importantly, they were running out of arrows.

Ah Le had already started throwing rocks down.

”Miss,” she said, looking back. ”Don’t be afraid. As long as we survive tonight—”

’They won’t let us survive the night,’ Chu Zhao thought, but she nodded at Ah Le. ”I’m not afraid.”

’I really am not afraid. Perhaps it’s because I don’t have many regrets. Though I won’t get to see my father one last time... Ah Jiu will surely convey my feelings for me.’

’Father will know how hard I worked to see him, and he’ll understand my feelings. He will always be the most important person in my heart.’

’It won’t be like my last life, when I became Empress and only sent Father a cold letter, warning him to remember his place and not cause me any trouble.’

’Also, I saved Xiao Yu. Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang are now allied at court, so if Xiao Xun wants to be Emperor in this life, he’ll have to do it as a rebel.’

’I’ve also entrusted the Dragon Power Army to Ah Jiu, so I don’t have to worry about the future for Uncle Zhong and the others. Ah Jiu won’t waste their lives with the same disregard Xiao Xun would.’

’And then there’s my uncle’s family. Chu Tang is a clever man. He knows I am his patron. Once I’m dead, he’ll do as I instructed and immediately take his family into hiding in the wilderness.’

’I can die in peace now.’

’After I die, I’ll be reunited with Mother first. Then we’ll wait for Father to arrive, and our family of three can be together again.’

’But I’ve never even met my mother. I don’t know what she looks like. I probably wouldn’t even recognize her if we met, would I?’

’I don’t really know how I’d even act around her.’

Chu Zhao felt a pang of anxiety and forcefully pushed a large rock over the edge.

...

...

It was as if every beast on Luoying Mountain had been driven here—tigers, wolves, wild boars, even pheasants and rabbits. The entire forest was shaking, sending dirt and stones flying.

Even the likes of Ding Dachui couldn’t help but gulp, his palms sweating as he clutched his repaired Hunting Bow.

’This is a big job,’ he thought. ’And the fighting is way too intense.’

Their new boss had even told them that since they were short on men, they should drive out every beast in the mountains.

”Boss,” the voices of the men following behind him trembled, ”T-this... if we charge in, isn’t it suicide?”

’What’s the deal with this new boss? Even when you’re robbing someone, you have to size up the situation. Sometimes, no matter how fat the sheep, you can’t just take it.’

’Looking at the commotion ahead, this isn’t some fat sheep. This is a monster.’

A sharp bird cry sounded in his ear, and Ding Dachui couldn’t help but shiver.

The bird cries came one after another, urging them on.

The new boss’s words from when he had gathered everyone also rang in Ding Dachui’s ears.

”Portraits of you bandits are hanging at the entrance of the Chen County Government Office.”

”The reason you have survived until now is not because the government can’t deal with you, but because they can’t be bothered.”

”The moment the government needs to score some achievements, they’ll get rid of you instantly.”

”You people, do you really think you can hunt in the mountains for a lifetime?”

”You are not hunters. You are the prey.”

”Do this big job with me today, and in the future, men, money, supplies—you will have it all. At that time, you will be the real hunters.”

’What hunters? We’re bandits, dammit!’

Ding Dachui’s feet trembled. He lifted his foot and stomped it hard on the ground, raised the Hunting Bow, nocked three arrows, and let out a loud cry.

”This mountain is mine—”

...

...

Despite the thrown spears, rolling boulders, and even the bodies of their own comrades forming a barricade, a dozen or so men still broke through the defenses.

These dozen men were as light as swallows and as agile as monkeys, getting closer and closer, so close that Chu Zhao could see their savage smiles.

Old Bai was a step ahead of them. He shot forward, long saber in hand. In a flurry of flashing steel, the first five bandits to charge were cut down, their bodies and heads parting ways as they fell to the ground.

More men charged out right behind Old Bai—soldiers from the Dragon Power Army and the guards Xiao Man had left behind. They met the enemy with their weapons and their very bodies. This was the last line of defense.

Ah Le gripped her saber and blocked Chu Zhao. ”It’s not time yet.”

Chu Zhao had been about to charge over as well.

”Miss, if you charge in and die, everyone else will fall that much faster,” Ah Le said earnestly. ”The longer you live, the longer we can hold on.”

All this desperate fighting was to protect Chu Zhao. If she were to die, their morale would shatter in an instant.

Chu Zhao knew this, of course, but watching people die for her, one after another... it was a fate worse than death.

A bandit lunged from behind, severing a Dragon Power Army soldier’s hands with a single slash. The soldier let out an agonized howl but didn’t fall. Instead, he wrapped his now-handless arms around the bandit in a death grip and threw them both toward another bandit with a raised saber. The long blade pierced through them both—

Chu Zhao wanted to shut her eyes, but she forced them to stay wide open, forcing herself to watch. To see clearly how these people were dying for her.

’I can’t be like I was in my last life. So many people died for me then, and I never even knew.’

”Miss!” Ah Le cried, standing before her with saber raised. ”Even if they all fall, I’ll still be here!”

Just as Chu Zhao was about to speak, the din of battle in the distance suddenly intensified, punctuated by shouts of ”Enemy attack!” ”Quick, fall back!” ”We’re under attack!”

An enemy attack. Those were the bandits’ shouts. If the bandits had an enemy, then it must be their reinforcements!

There were reinforcements!

”Xiao Man brought reinforcements!” Chu Zhao yelled. ”Xiao Man brought reinforcements!”

There was hope!

She yelled over and over, ”Reinforcements are here! Reinforcements are here!” her voice carrying a message of hope.