Chapter 484: Unexpected turncoats (2/2)
But there was no helping it. With so many arrows attacking them all at once, their only choice was to beat their opponents’ speeds and block the weapons first before they hit. When Han Yunxi heard Lil Thing squeaking so, she couldn’t help but cry, “What’s wrong, what’s happened to Imperial Physician Gu?”
Gu Qi Sha wasn’t affected by his injuries, but his body shook minutely at Han Yunxi words. He suddenly asked, “Lass, why aren’t you worried about me?”
Han Yunxi suddenly felt like she’d heard his voice somewhere before. She was about to ask him when Chu Xifeng’s voice called out, “Esteemed wangfei, are you alright?!”
Chu Xifeng was severely injured, but he still braved a mob of enemies to dash into the courtyard. Both him and his guards had been ambushed and overwhelmed, thus allowing the archers to slip successfully into the courtyard. Their enemies had not only brought along archers, but mercenaries to target their guards. Chu Xifeng had killed through ten of the hired killers before he made it inside. He dodged a slew of arrows to head for the pavilion, but was soon blocked by a high-level expert dressed in black robes and a face mask. As he struck out with his sword, Chu Xifeng had no choice but to retreat. Soon enough, he was fighting with his new assailant.
Han Yunxi’s train of thought was interrupted by Chu Xifeng’s shout. Meanwhile, Gu Qi Sha had recovered his calm. He didn’t know why he’d almost forgotten to change his voice just then, either.
That was a close call!
The rain of arrows was fierce to begin with, but now their numbers were increasing. As the onslaught intensified, the trio and one poison beast were reaching their limits. If the number of arrows exceeded their ability to block them all, then they’d be shot to death or die of exhaustion! What they desperately needed now were reinforcements!
Finally, Gu Qi Sha lost his temper. “Is that cur of an emperor raising rice buckets for soldiers? Why aren’t they here yet?!”
It would’ve been better if he kept quiet, because the arrows came even faster at his declaration. Meanwhile, the masked assassin had kicked Chu Xifeng to the ground; fortunately he still had enough strength to climb to his feet.
“Your Excellency Pill Fiend, hold on! They’ve already gone to send for help, the imperial guards will arrive very soon!” Chu Xifeng shouted back.
Gu Qi Sha could only grit his teeth and continue to endure. His martial arts skills really weren’t all that spectacular. When he turned his back to Gu Beiyue, the latter couldn’t help but suck in a cold breath! There were a total of five arrows sticking out of Gu Qi Sha’s back, all of them pouring fresh blood. In the midst of his astonishment, Gu Beiyue furrowed his brows to look closer at the fresh blood before he seemed to realize something. His expression gradually grew solemn.
At last, when Gu Qi Sha was about to give out, the imperial guards arrived! The group inside the courtyard had no idea what was going on beyond the walls, but the sounds of fighting stopped before they realized the guards were here. The black-robed assassin fighting Chu Xifeng abruptly back away and shouted, “Disperse!”
Immediately, the rain of arrows lessened by half. The assassin himself fled with them, leaving Chu Xifeng to knock away stray arrows as he rushed to Gu Qi Sha’s aid in the pavilion. Soon enough, less and less arrows came at them. The sounds of blade against arrow grew weaker as well, while the combat noises outside the courtyard intensified. It looked like the imperial guards were now dealing with the stragglers amongst the archers. Gu Qi Sha stopped holding onto Han Yunxi so tightly, allowing her to breathe in some fresh air. She looked at Gu Beiyue and Lil Thing, then at all the arrows on the ground, and gasped in relief.
It felt like everything that had happened just then was only a nightmare.
Once everything grew still, Lil Thing flopped onto the table and panted for breath, nearly dead from exhaustion. Chu Xifeng stood paralyzed in a corner, his body stiff from all his wounds. Gu Qi Sha still kept a tight grip on Han Yunxi until she struggled free with effort. Aside from Gu Beiyue, who was still studying Gu Qi Sha’s blood from a distance, everyone else was still suffering from fear in hindsight as they recovered from the shock.
At this moment, the head of the imperial guards entered the courtyard with a team of archers in tow and appeared before Han Yunxi. This wasn’t Mu Qingwu, but another young commander. He didn’t go any closer, but stopped outside the pavilion and fell to his knees. “This soldier was late to the rescue, may esteemed wangfei mete punishment!”
He might have knelt down, but none of the archers behind him did.
Han Yunxi was just wondering how strange that was when Chu Xifeng bellowed, “Esteemed wangfei, be careful! It’s a trick!”
He’d barely spoken when the kneeling man waved his hand. All of the archers leveled their crossbows and aimed at Han Yunxi! Nobody expected the reinforcements they held out for to be turncoats. Gu Beiyue was about to throw himself in front of the archers when Gu Qi Sha pulled Han Yunxi into his arms and turned his back to the attackers!
Swoosh swoosh swoosh!
Countless arrows buried themselves in his back. Han Yunxi didn’t even need to prompt him before he fled from the courtyard!
The imperial guards had turned against them, so they had to leave this dangerous place!