Ch 197: You die, I die.

There are three roads leading out of Taizhou; the one to the west is the closest to the Capital.

“Minister Song divided his troops into two groups; one took the western road, and the other remained in Taizhou.”

Su Yan pointed towards the northeast, the opposite direction of the west. Returning to the Capital from this road would be a longer detour, but the further north one goes, the safer it becomes.

Ye Pantao nodded, putting away the map. “Your Honors, if you are caught, just tell them we took the southwest road. Life is most important; don’t fight head-on.”

Song Yanzhi opened his mouth, wanting to say that he would never betray them.

Su Yan bowed to them. “Thank you all for seeing Yan off this far. May we meet again, take care.”

Song Yanzhi and the others quickly returned the courtesy. “Minister Su, you are too polite.”

Su Yan lifted Ye Pantao into his arms. “Hold on tight.”

Ye Pantao quickly wrapped her arms around his neck.

The wind whistled past their ears as Su Yan leaped into the air, his feet landing on the tips of the trees.

Song Yanzhi and the others looked up at their backs, mouths agape.

“Minister Su’s martial arts skill…”

“That flying knife just now, I thought it was going to kill us! It went past my feet like a fish…” a strong man said, still shaken.

“Nonsense! Our Minister Su never kills innocent people. Your little life is safe!”

Song Yanzhi felt his heart beating fast; his face flushed with excitement.

He had finally met Su Yan!

This was the role model he had always admired!

His role model had not disappointed him.

Ye Pantao buried her head in his chest. “Shall we buy two horses now?”

“Yes.” Su Yan replied simply.

Standing on high ground offers a clearer view.

It was just dawn; the horse market would not be open yet.

Su Yan looked around and chose a large inn.

The situation was urgent; there was no time to buy horses.

“Pantao, how much do two horses cost?”

Ye Pantao placed seventy taels in the stable. “This should be enough.”

The two of them mounted their horses and rode away quickly.

The people inside the house heard the sound of hooves and ran out to look.

They only saw two figures disappearing into the distance. After chasing for a while without catching up, they angrily scolded, “Stop!”

“Those are my horses! The horses I worked so hard to buy!”

“What is going on! Why am I so unlucky!”

He hadn’t even eaten yet, and after running and shouting, he felt dizzy.

He had to lean against the wall to walk back.

He looked at the stable, disbelievingly rubbing his eyes.

Immediately rushing over, he picked up the glittering silver ingots on the ground.

“I struck it rich! What a kind person! My two horses aren’t worth this much! Oh my, what a kind person!”

This money was enough for him to buy two younger horses; his current ones were quite old.

Two black horses rode side-by-side along the unfamiliar roads of Taizhou.

Ye Pantao had ridden horses extensively since her arrival, and her riding skills had become increasingly proficient, allowing her to keep pace with Su Yan without falling behind.

Su Yan kept an eye on Ye Pantao from the corner of his eye; this felt completely different from traveling with Yan Yu.

As soon as they left the Taizhou city gate, a voice came from the gate.

“Close the gate quickly; no one else can leave!”

Ye Pantao pulled on the reins, and the horse ran even faster.

It seemed they had already been pursued; the Wang family’s orders were indeed effective in the vast Jiangnan region.

Wherever they went, officials submitted without question.

But the sound of the city gate closing never came.

Ye Pantao frowned; something was wrong.

“Yangzhou is already in chaos,” Su Yan’s voice came.

Ye Pantao paused. “Then no one will chase us anymore.”

Su Yan smiled. “The pursuers are gone, but the road ahead is not smooth.”

Jiang Lean’s involvement was too extensive; even if they reached the Capital, they might not be able to enter the Imperial Palace smoothly.

“Let’s go to the Imperial Suburb first; the Imperial Sword can summon the army.”

Ye Pantao nodded and followed, the two of them rushing on their way.

The Imperial Suburb was located in the suburbs of the Capital, which happened to be in the direction of Taizhou.

Ye Pantao bought some dry cakes along the way, and the two of them ate them while riding.

They rode without stopping for a whole day, from sunrise to sunset, and then under the stars.

“Swish——”

Dozens of arrows flew from the shadows.

Su Yan quickly leaped into the air, positioning himself behind Ye Pantao. Plum Blossom Flying Knives surrounded him, knocking down several arrows.

“Don’t look back, keep riding, I’m here.”

Su Yan tried to keep his voice low.

Ye Pantao pursed her lips and urged her horse on.

Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid.

“Kill!”

A group of men in black sprang up from all sides, numbering more than a dozen!

Amidst the flashing blades and arrows, the air was filled with killing intent.

Su Yan took the Imperial Sword from his waist and handed it to Ye Pantao. “Take the sword, strike first and report later!”

As soon as he finished speaking, he leaped off his horse, flying knives piercing flesh one after another.

Ye Pantao gripped the sword tightly, placing the package behind her in front of her, whipping her horse even harder.

She didn’t even look at the fighting around her, focusing solely on riding forward.

Faster, faster!

If she slowed down even a little, she would truly have no way to survive.

A quarter of an hour later, Su Yan, his white clothes stained with blood, his face splattered with blood, landed behind Ye Pantao, wrapping an arm around her waist.

“I’m fine.”

The horse’s back was constantly jolting; they were only half an hour away from the Imperial Suburb.

Su Yan was very still behind her, seemingly motionless.

Ye Pantao’s heart was in turmoil, but she dared not delay her riding.

“Brothers, attack! Today, it’s either you or me!”

A powerful voice rang out, making Ye Pantao’s ears ring.

This voice was clearly not ordinary; the speaker possessed exceptional martial arts skills.

Su Yan took a deep breath and once again leaped onto the horse’s back. “I only wish to question the Wang family’s crimes. If you retreat now, I will pretend this never happened.”

“Hahahaha! Su Yan, I am not Wang Helu. He believed your words, and even his own son fell in Yangzhou! Kill him!”

As soon as he finished speaking, he charged forward, a long spear on his horse’s back like a snake, aiming straight for Su Yan’s face.

Su Yan leaped, landing on the spear tip, flipping over and landing on the man’s horse’s back.

“General Xu’s spear is still as formidable as ever. I ask again, will you retreat?”

A Plum Blossom Flying Knife rested at his neck.

Xu Shenchao, nearing fifty, sneered, pushing the spear forward. “Even in death, I will die with honor!”

The spear tip was about to reach Ye Pantao’s back.

Su Yan showed no mercy, the flying knife piercing his neck. He grabbed the long dao, roaring, “General Xu is dead, do you still want to die?!”

“General Xu is dead, we don’t want to live either! Brothers, avenge General Xu!”

“Yes! General Xu treated us well! Kill!”

“Attack the woman on the horse first!”

Ye Pantao’s forehead was covered in a fine layer of cold sweat; her arm holding the whip was already numb, but she didn’t care, frantically raising her whip.

Her feet constantly squeezed the horse’s belly.

Such blind loyalty!

They didn’t even care about their own lives!

“Giddy up!”

The sharp clang of metal on metal constantly rang in her ears; Su Yan was no longer on the horse’s back.

Seeing someone with a knife about to attack, Ye Pantao quickly pulled on the reins, raising the horse’s front high, letting its hooves fall heavily on the man.