The Legendary Female Strategist

Chapter 15 - The First Night with the Emperor

Darkness began to settle in heavily between the trees as the four of them rode on their horses. The cold wind bit at their faces and bodies as they flew faster than the eye could follow. Ru Qiang and Feng Yao, who were riding together, led the way while Xi'er and Li Yue followed behind them. 

A sudden shaking in the trees behind them was the only warning they had before the onslaught of attacks began. Around twenty men dressed in black jumped from tree to tree and began to pursue them. From within the shadows, countless arrows also began to fly towards them.

"Young Master! Go one ahead with the Young Miss! Xi'er and I will take care of it from here."

"Then you both be careful. I will meet you back at the estate."

"Understood!"

Li Yue whipped out his sword and began to deflect the piercing arrows at a speed that Feng Yao could no longer follow. Each strike was precise and held the perfect amount of power that could deflect each strike while still optimizing the smallest amount of time needed for each. 

Li Yue's other hand held on tightly to Xi'er who was sitting in front of him and whipping the reins of their horse. Every once in a while, she would turn around to shoot some of her poisonous needles in the direction of their pursuers. 

Feng Yao quickly counted the amount of total pursuers. 23 men were currently rushing after them. She turned back around to look at Ru Qiang whom she was tightly holding onto. Ru Qiang's focus was entirely on keeping the sprinting horse on track and avoiding any fallen trees or stray arrows. 

Her eyes narrowed as she studied his face. He seemed incredibly calm. Perhaps a bit too calm.

"You are just going to leave your two guards behind us?"

Ru Qiang didn't look at her which only confirmed her suspicion. 

He was not afraid for them or his guards because of two things. The first was because he knew that his two guards were far more powerful than these men. So much more that he didn't even have the slightest worry about them getting hurt. The second reason was that he already knew that their captor was hesitant in killing them. 

Ru Qiang has already figured something out about them. Something that gives him enough confidence to know that none of us will be harmed. 

Even now, if Feng Yao looked closely, each arrow that was being shot their way did not aim for any vitals. Even though they were aimed directly towards their bodies, they were still at an angle that was within Li Yue's reach to block. 

Mr. Uncle must have enough trust in Li Yue's skill to allow this many arrows to come at us.

Feng Yao looked closer. The rate of the silver needles that Xi'er was shooting backwards towards the guards also did not match up to the rate of the guards falling back. Up to this point, Feng Yao had seen her shoot 9 needles. Yet, 13 of the pursuers had already stopped leaving only ten to continue following them.

She spoke quietly to Ru Qiang. "You already know that he's testing you. You don't mind that he's probing the strength of you and your guards?" Despite the howling wind, he still heard her voice perfectly fine. 

Ru Qiang was quiet for a moment before speaking. "It makes no difference. In the end, he will not figure it out."

A shiver went down her back at his words. His words could have had two different meanings. The first meaning could have been that their captor would not figure out his true strength. But the second...

Ru Qiang means that his real identity can't be figured out so easily. 

But why is he telling me this? Does he trust me enough to hint at his secret? Or perhaps does he think I won't understand? But if he's saying this on purpose, is he also saying that if I'm as intelligent as he thinks, he wants me to become an ally?