Chapter 57: The Pursuers Catch Up

Early the next morning, the troops led by Luo Ang were all fully prepared, awaiting his final instructions. Seeing that everyone was ready, Luo Ang nodded and commanded, "Let us set out and return to Luoyang."

With that, the entire company began to move outward. At this moment, Zhang He and dozens of guards were escorting a carriage, waiting quietly by the back door. After helping Zhang Ji settle into the carriage, Luo Ang strode quickly to a mount brought over by Zhang He, leaped into the saddle, and shouted, "Heading home!"

Soon, the back door swung open. Dozens of knights, disguised in servant attire and led by Luo Ang, guarded the carriage carrying Zhang Ji as they stepped out through the back door. Passing through a quiet alley behind the residence, they emerged onto the bustling main street, blended into the surging crowd, and headed toward the west city gate.

Before long, the procession arrived at the west city gate. Because a curfew had been imposed within the city, the gates remained tightly shut, and ordinary citizens kept well away from the area. At this moment, the gate guards gathered around, and to their surprise, the commanding officer was none other than Song Xian.

Lifting the curtain of the carriage, Zhang Ji caught sight of Song Xian wearing the uniform of Yuan Shao’s soldiers and asked in confusion, "Sir, why have Steward Xiao and the others changed into Yuan Shao’s imperial guards?"

Luo Ang looked back at Zhang Ji inside the carriage and replied, "They knocked out Yuan Shao's guards and put on their uniforms."

Just as his voice trailed off, Song Xian signaled his men to open the city gate, escorted Luo Ang and his party out, and promptly shut the heavy doors again. Although a few people on a nearby street witnessed the scene, they assumed it was merely some important figure leaving the city and paid it no further heed.

Outside the city of Jizhou, Luo Ang and his men easily slipped away and began their journey toward Luoyang.

Luo Ang spurred his horse to the side of the carriage and said to Zhang Ji, "Sir, we are now bound for Luoyang. We shall do our utmost to protect you from any perils along the road."

Lifting the carriage curtain, Zhang Ji replied, "Since it has come to this, I must trouble the young lord."

With that, the group resumed their march toward Luoyang, unaware that danger was quietly closing in upon them.

After a long while, Luo Ang’s party arrived near the Jie Bridge, not far from Qingzhou. Catching sight of an abandoned Taoist temple ahead, Luo Ang led everyone off the main road and into the secluded courtyard, intending to let the company rest briefly before pressing on.

Luo Ang leaped down from his mount, handed the reins to a guard, and strode quickly to Zhang Ji's carriage. Lifting the curtain, he said, "Sir, please dismount and rest!"

Stepping out of the carriage and seeing the Taoist temple before him, Zhang Ji nodded and said, "Very well."

The group then walked into the temple grounds.

At that moment, Zhang He hurried over, cupped his fists toward Luo Ang, and reported, "Young lord, there is someone inside the temple—it is that female assassin who previously broke into our lodging!"

Surprised by this revelation, Luo Ang instructed Song Xian to look after Zhang Ji and stepped into the main hall. He immediately spotted several guards standing in a corner, with a figure in black lying sideways on the ground. Walking up for a closer look, he confirmed that it was indeed the female assassin known as Han Xiangjun.

Frowning slightly, Luo Ang knelt down and checked her pulse; she was still breathing. He immediately set to work administering first aid.

Revived under Luo Ang’s treatment, Han Xiangjun slowly opened her eyes. Seeing Luo Ang hovering over her, she was startled at first, but quickly grasped the situation and let out a wry smile. "I never expected that you would save me once again!"

Luo Ang asked, "How did you end up here? Are government soldiers pursuing you?"

Han Xiangjun answered, "Not long after I escaped the city, I ran into the soldiers hunting me down. I barely managed to flee to this place before I passed out." Looking around with a bewildered expression, she added, "I have no idea how long I’ve been unconscious."

A frown creaking across his brow, Luo Ang stood up and instructed Zhang He, "Zhang He, send men immediately to scout the high points in all directions and survey the surrounding area."

Zhang He cupped his fists in acknowledgment and hurried outside.

Han Xiangjun attempted to stand, but her severe injuries left her extremely weak, rendering even the simplest movement impossible. Catching sight of her own unbuttoned collar and realizing she had been bandaged, she turned pale with shock. Hastily clutching her chest, she glared at Luo Ang, her face flushed with crimson as she demanded, "Did you bandage me?"

Preoccupied, Luo Ang nodded absentmindedly.

A blush spread rapidly across Han Xiangjun's face, burning so intensely it seemed as though it might drip blood. Without another word, Luo Ang turned and walked out of the main hall.

Seeing Luo Ang emerge, Zhang Ji asked, "Young lord, what happened inside?"

Luo Ang smiled and replied, "Sir, please rest assured, there is no trouble inside. Let us go in and rest."

Nodding, Zhang Ji said, "Very well."

The two of them entered the main hall. Upon noticing Han Xiangjun huddled in the corner, Zhang Ji inquired, "Is she the female assassin the young lord mentioned?"

Luo Ang nodded and remarked with mild exasperation, "This woman lacks capability, but her talent for stirring up trouble is truly formidable."

Hearing herself described this way, Han Xiangjun tried to leap to her feet, but failed once more. Glaring fiercely, she snapped, "What did you say?"

Bypassing her entirely, Luo Ang directed Zhang Ji to sit upon a cleaned stone stool.

At that moment, Zhang He rushed back into the hall accompanied by a guard, cupped his fists, and reported, "Young lord, we have spotted the enemy!"

Hearing this, Zhang Ji tensed up immediately, casting an anxious and uneasy glance toward Luo Ang.

Sensing the old scholar's apprehension, Luo Ang reassured him, "Please do not worry, with me here, everything is under control!"

Hearing Luo Ang's confident words, more than half of Zhang Ji's anxiety vanished.

Luo Ang rose to his feet, led Zhang He and the guard out of the main hall, and halted to ask, "What is the situation?"

At Luo Ang's signal, the guard stepped forward to report. Cupping his fists, the guard said, "Young lord, when I was scouting from the hill on the left just now, I spotted a force of nearly a thousand men heading this way. They are about ten miles off and will arrive within an hour at most."

Frowning, Luo Ang muttered, "Nearly a thousand men? Are you certain?"

The guard replied firmly, "This subordinate is absolutely certain."

Pacing back and forth, Luo Ang muttered to himself, "They must be tracking Han Xiangjun. This woman is truly a magnet for trouble!"

The guard asked, "Master, should we—should we evacuate immediately?"

Shaking his head, Luo Ang answered, "It is already too late to retreat. If they catch us out in the open plains, we might be able to fight our way through, but Mr. Zhang Ji..."

Here, he drew a deep breath and swept his gaze across the surroundings. Behind the Taoist temple stood towering mountains and dense forests, forming a natural dustpan-shaped basin. An idea flashed through his mind, and deciding to take a calculated risk, he quickly issued a series of orders to Zhang He.

Zhang He accepted the command with cupped fists, rallied the guards, and hurried toward the dustpan-shaped terrain.

Returning to the temple, Luo Ang had Song Xian escort Zhang Ji and Han Xiangjun out toward the forested mountains behind.

As she walked, Han Xiangjun glanced back and noticed Luo Ang's subordinates meticulously erasing their tracks, while deliberately leaving her footprints behind. Baffled, she could not make sense of his intention.

At that moment, Luo Ang strode up to her and, without a word of explanation, pulled off one of her shoes.

Ashamed and furious, Han Xiangjun demanded, "What are you doing?"

Luo Ang smiled. "To ensure our pursuers do not look in the wrong place."

Feeling entirely bewildered, Han Xiangjun glared at him. Luo Ang carried her shoe a short distance away and tossed it near the set of footprints.

"There are nearly a thousand of them," Han Xiangjun questioned angrily. "By doing this, are you trying to get us all killed?"

Luo Ang smiled back at her and replied, "Whether this is a death sentence or not, you will find out very soon."