Even women who travel through time can become prime ministers and nobles.

Chapter 461 The Difficult Return to the Capital

Dusk, like a piece of silk soaked in ink, slowly covered the official road of the Jianghuai region.

Shen Yanzhou pulled on the reins, and his white horse snorted. Its horseshoes crunched over the congealed bloodstains on the road.

The prison cart was in the middle of the procession, its wooden wheels grinding over gravel. The shackles binding Wang Fu clanged together from time to time, making a dull clattering sound—a sound that felt like a thorn in the hearts of every guard.

"Your Highness, the area ahead is Luoma Beach, with steep cliffs on both sides. We must be careful."

Deputy Commander Lin Zheng urged his horse forward, his voice extremely low.

His left arm was wrapped with a blood-soaked strip of cloth, a burn mark from the fire attack the previous night.

The elite force of one hundred men has now dwindled to only fifty-eight, including the wounded. Their arrow boxes are nearly empty, and many of the guards' swords have chipped.

Shen Yanzhou nodded, his gaze sweeping over the line.

The youngest guard, Xiao Zhou, was only thirteen years old. His face was still covered in unwashed blood, and his hand holding the knife trembled slightly, but he still tried his best to straighten his back.

He recalled that before he set off, Xiao Zhou's mother held the child's hand, stuffed a good luck charm into his hand, and said, "Your Highness is a benevolent ruler. I can rest assured following Your Highness."

My heart suddenly tightened, but it was quickly covered by an even deeper chill.

"Pass on the order,"

His voice was steady, yet carried an undeniable authority.

"The shield bearers formed a double-layered formation, protecting both sides of the prison wagon; the archers switched to short crossbows, each equipped with three armor-piercing arrows, aiming at the top of the cliff;"

"The scout will take two men and go to the beach to investigate. If there is any unusual activity, signal with a whistle."

The order was quickly given, and the team, like a taut bowstring, slowly drove into Luomatan.

The wild grass on the cliff swayed in the evening breeze, like countless pairs of prying eyes.

Shen Yanzhou gripped the sword hilt, his fingertips stroking the rope binding the scabbard.

Ying'er personally wrapped it for him when she left the capital, saying, "The sword hilt is slippery; wrapping it with this will make it easier to grip."

Suddenly, a sharp whistle pierced the air!

"careful!"

Lin Zheng roared and lunged at Shen Yanzhou.

Almost simultaneously, dozens of millstone-sized boulders rolled down the cliff, crashing towards the group with a whistling sound.

The shield bearers raised their shields in unison, and a deafening "bang" made everyone's eardrums ache. The two shield bearers in the front row were hit by the boulder and crushed into a bloody pulp along with their shields, and blood flowed down the gaps in the shields.

"Fire arrows!"

Shen Yanzhou drew his sword, its light tracing a cold arc in the twilight.

The archers pulled their triggers in unison, and short crossbow bolts rained down on the cliff face.

Several screams rang out, and dark figures tumbled down the cliff. They were assassins dressed in black—they were hiding in the grass, their breathing barely audible.

The number of assassins far exceeded expectations. More shadowy figures emerged from the dense forest on both sides of the cliff, wielding curved knives and biting short daggers, and pounced on the prison cart like madmen.

A suicide soldier bypassed the shield formation and charged straight at Wang Fu. Just as the tip of his knife was about to pierce the wooden bars of the prison cart, Xiao Zhou suddenly lunged forward and used his body to block the tip of the knife.

The curved blade pierced the boy's chest. Xiao Zhou coughed up blood, but he clung tightly to the assassin's wrist, roaring, "Your Highness, run!"

Shen Yanzhou's eyes were bloodshot with rage. With a flash of sword light, he severed the neck of the assassin.

He caught the fallen Xiao Zhou, whose hand was still clutching the amulet, his breath weak: "Your Highness...don't disappoint my mother..."

"I don't know."

Shen Yanzhou's voice was hoarse. He handed Xiao Zhou over to the physician and turned to charge back into the battle.

His bright yellow uniform was already soaked in blood, making it impossible to tell whether it belonged to the enemy or his own people. His swordsmanship was unpretentious; every strike was aimed directly at the vital points.

He cannot die, Wang Fu cannot die, and these soldiers who followed him cannot die in vain.

As dusk fell, the suicide squad finally retreated.

The beach was littered with corpses, and the stench of blood was so strong it was nauseating.

Lin Zheng, leaning on his knife, knelt on one knee: "Your Highness, Wang Fu is alright... but we only have forty-two people left. The physician said that Xiao Zhou..."

Shen Yanzhou closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, his eyes were filled with coldness: "Bury the fallen brothers on the spot, erect wooden monuments, and carve their names on them."

He walked toward the prison cart, where Wang Fu was huddled, his face deathly pale, yet he still dared to look him in the eye: "Your Highness, Prince Rongyang said that you can't protect me, and you can't protect yourself either..."

"is it?"

Shen Yanzhou sneered and kicked the prison cart. "Then you might as well see whether he has more assassins or whether I can hold out until the capital."

He turned to Lin Zheng and said, "According to the original plan, we will take the waterway tonight."

"Take ten men, change into civilian clothes, and push the empty prison cart along the official road. Make sure to attract the enemy's attention."

"Remember, come back alive."

Lin Zheng clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice resounding: "This humble general obeys!"

As night deepened, Shen Yanzhou led the remaining men, escorting the prison cart, and quietly headed towards Liuxi Wharf, thirty miles away.

The river breeze, carrying moisture, brushed against his face. Gazing at the dark river, he suddenly recalled what Shi Wanxia had said on the city wall of Chuzhou: "Your Highness, Chuzhou is your rear. I will guard this place and wait for your return."

He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, silently vowing: "Shi Wanxia, ​​just wait. I will surely return to the capital safely, sweep away this bloodshed, and restore peace to the world."

The autumn days in Chuzhou were unbearably hot and dry, with the moonlight still carrying a chilly heat wave.

Shi Wanxia stepped into the farmland south of the city, her feet glistening with morning dew. The wheat seedlings were just sprouting green shoots, and several farm women were bending over to replant. Upon seeing her, they all stopped what they were doing and stood up to greet her: "Lord Shi!"

Shi Wanxia quickly helped the eldest Aunt Zhang up, saying, "Don't be so polite. It's hot in the field. Please sit down and rest for a while."

She squatted down, looked at the wheat seedlings in the field, and frowned slightly: "Aunt Zhang, why are these wheat seedlings growing unevenly? Is it because the seeds weren't good enough?"

Aunt Zhang sighed and wiped the sweat from her forehead: "Lord Shi, it's not about the seeds. It's because of last year's war. The soil in the fields was trampled hard by horses' hooves, making it difficult to sow the seeds and slowing down the germination."

"Besides, the able-bodied men in the family have either died in battle or followed His Highness the Crown Prince. As for us women, we can do as much as we can."

Shi Wanxia's heart sank.

The bloody battle on the night of the Ghost Festival resulted in the loss of more than 300 able-bodied men in Chuzhou. In the southern part of the city alone, more than 20 households lost their male members.

She stood up and looked at the village in the distance: "Aunt Zhang, don't worry, I've already asked Young Master Cui to coordinate. In two days, the Cui family's caravan will send a batch of oxen and twenty experienced farmers. They can help you plow the land and replant."

"Really?"

Aunt Zhang's eyes lit up. "That's wonderful! Lord Shi, you are truly a living bodhisattva to the people of Chuzhou!"

Shi Wanxia smiled, but she didn't feel much relieved.

The reconstruction of Chuzhou was more difficult than she had imagined.

The compensation money has been distributed, but without able-bodied men, the people's lives are still difficult;

The wounded in the makeshift clinic had not yet fully recovered. Qinglan said that the wound medicine was almost used up and there were not enough herbs in the mountains, so they had to go to a neighboring prefecture to buy more.