northernbook Chapter 132 At the City Gate
Chapter 132 At the City Gate
Illuminated by the torches, she saw some civilians being driven away by the enemy. Some enemies even deliberately put their hands on some women and tore their clothes. The faces of these women were full of fear and anxiety. They did not dare to scream. Once they made a sound, these people would whip them.
Mu Yunxi's heart tightened involuntarily, but she knew she couldn't act rashly, as this might expose her and endanger the safety of more people. So, she chose to continue observing the surroundings, waiting for the best opportunity to rescue these people.
Meanwhile, An Qi also arrived near the prison. Using his stealth skills, he quietly entered the prison. He met the civilians imprisoned there and the Qingxue City Magistrate, Xing Jun. Through conversations with Xing Jun and the others, he also learned of the large number of enemy troops deployed there.
Ma Liu, on the other hand, was responsible for scouting for manpower elsewhere. He swiftly moved through the streets and alleys of Qingxue City, searching for any hidden enemies or allies. With his agility and keen eyesight, he quickly spotted some suspicious signs. He recorded each piece of information and prepared to report it back to Mu Yunxi.
Time passed minute by minute, and the three of them were busy shuttling around in Qingxue City. When dawn was about to break, the agreed time came, and they returned to the place where Xing had hidden it at first and reunited on time.
"Are you all back?" Mu Yunxi asked in a low voice, her eyes sweeping over everyone present. After confirming that everyone had arrived safely, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"I've already scouted the area around the prison," An Qi said first. "The security isn't very tight, with only a few guarding the main gate. But there are two teams switching patrols nearby."
Ma Liu then added, "I discovered in the city that these people weren't regular soldiers. They were scattered, unlike the Qingxue City defenders who were so disciplined. Furthermore, they included men, women, and children. Although many wore our uniforms, some of them looked like refugees. I also estimated that there were about 20,000 of them all together."
After listening to their reports, Mu Yunxi pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "I also think they seem to be fleeing, but the fact that they were able to easily capture Qingxue City proves that they had already made arrangements."
"So what should we do now?" An Qi asked the question on everyone's mind.
"We need a more detailed plan," Mu Yunxi replied. "First, we must ensure our own safety. Second, we must gather as much intelligence as possible about the enemy and send it out when the opportunity arises. Finally, we must find the right moment to take action."
For the next few minutes, the five of them sat together and began to discuss their specific action plan in detail. They analyzed the current situation, determined their respective responsibilities, and developed a contingency plan for any emergencies.
Mu Yunxi looked at the others and said, "Xing Zhen, you continue to hide here. I'll go to the city gate to send out a signal. Once I send out the signal, you will start to act. Ma Liu, you go to the Liu family warehouse and set fire to it to draw people over.
"An Qi, once Ma Liu succeeds in setting the fire, a large number of enemies will surely rush there. You go find a way to divert the guards from the cell, and then Xu Linlang will go rescue the prisoners. I'll also find a way to rescue the civilians at the city gate from their clutches." Xu Linlang was the soldier who had stayed behind to protect Xing Zhen last night.
Suddenly, Mu Yunxi's hand was grabbed by another slender hand. "Take me with you. I can help. I know Qingxue City better than you do. I know where to hide the people we rescued." Xing Zhen looked at Mu Yunxi with a pleading yet firm gaze. "Trust me, I won't hold you back!"
"It's not that I don't believe you, I'm just afraid that I can't protect you!" Mu Yunxi looked back into her eyes and said sincerely.
Xing Zhen shook her head. "You don't need to protect me. The people below the city are the most important. They will definitely be taken hostage by the enemy immediately. I will go and rescue them, so that our soldiers won't be held hostage after entering the city."
Mu Yunxi thought for a moment, then rejected Xing Zhen. She suppressed her anger and calmly spoke to Xing Zhen, "The civilians below the city will definitely be taken hostage. I've seen that they are all elderly, weak, women, and children. Your father is the magistrate of Qingxue City, and they didn't choose to use him as a hostage because they know that the elderly, weak, women, and children are more likely to inspire sympathy. I'm not sure I can rescue them right away, nor am I sure I can save you. I don't want to fail to rescue them and then put you in danger. Do you understand?"
After listening to Mu Yunxi, although Xing Zhen still wanted to go along with them, in order not to add burden to Mu Yunxi and the others, she nodded slightly.
After Mu Yunxi hid Xing Zhen and told her not to come out no matter what, the four of them split up. They all rushed to their respective locations, waiting for Mu Yunxi to give the signal. She wandered through the city streets, dodging several patrols before finally arriving near the city gates. She removed the bow and arrow she had prepared for the signal, took out her firestick, blew on it, and ignited the cotton cloth wrapped around the arrowhead. A closer look revealed yellow oil staining the cotton cloth. She drew her bow and shot, using all her internal energy. She was shooting from inside the city walls, and with only this one chance, she couldn't afford to make a single mistake.
On a hill not far from Qingxue City, Jin Yubin kept his eyes fixed on the city's direction. He was afraid that Mu Yunxi would miss the signal, so he spent the entire night observing the movements within. Finally, at daybreak, he saw a flash of fire emanating from within Qingxue City. He immediately ordered the guards, who were still resting, to notify Zhao Ming to launch an attack.
Zhao Ming originally wanted to make a feint, but unexpectedly, Jin Yubin had the cannons brought out. Puzzled, he asked, "Didn't Lord Mu say it was a feint?"
"She only feinted the attack by shooting arrows at night. She shot them now, which proves that they are in danger. Let's go straight in." Jin Yubin analyzed. He had been with Mu Yunxi before and knew that Mu Yunxi was not a person who went back on his word, so he was sure that the situation in the city must not be optimistic.
Mu Yunxi truly didn't want to delay any longer. After watching the enemy treat the women of Zhao Kingdom like playthings last night, she wanted nothing more than to end it all quickly. After firing her arrows, she quickly fled her current location. An Qi and several others had been keeping an eye on the city gate. When they saw a flash of fire, Ma Liu threw several jars of wine and torches he had prepared into the Liu family warehouse. Within moments, flames shot up into the sky. Before the people at the city gate could find Mu Yunxi, they saw black smoke billowing from the direction where the fishing boats were stationed. Before the leader, Li Hu and his men, could give any orders, their people began shouting and running towards the warehouse. Mu Yunxi couldn't understand what they were saying, but she saw that most of those heading that way were women. Seeing this, Mu Yunxi frowned. Only a few of the able-bodied men had rushed that direction. The others, while looking in the direction, made no attempt to approach.