Chapter 223
Chapter 223
“Let’s go back!”
Qiu Yao'er shouted, then mounted her horse. Behind her, hundreds of female warriors formed ranks, surrounding and protecting her. On both sides of the road, everyone knelt, their foreheads pressed to the ground, trembling. From this day on, at least, all of Raging Tide City belonged to Qiu Yao'er.
Two hours later. Qiu Yao'er led her two thousand direct-line warriors and entered the fortress of Raging Tide City's Lord's Manor.
“Close the main gate!”
*Creeaak.*
The main gate of the Lord's Manor fortress slammed shut.
“From now on, unless I give a direct order, no one is to enter or leave this fortress. Anyone who defies this order will be killed on sight.”
Qiu Tianwei had not anticipated the possibility of Shen Lang's attack, but Qiu Yao'er sensed it instinctively. Her reasoning was very simple. She had three thousand warriors under her command, but Raging Tide City had no city walls, making it impossible to defend the entire city. However, defending the Lord's Manor alone was more than manageable.
As long as they held the main fortress, Raging Tide City would not fall. It wouldn't matter even if the enemy captured all other parts of the city. When Qiu Tianwei's grand army returned, the enemy would all be slaughtered. Moreover, the Lord's Manor had ample food, vegetables, and fruit, and even a well, ensuring a sufficient supply of drinking water.
“Shen Lang, it would be best if you didn't come. But if you do, don't even think about leaving. Just die here quietly.”
Qiu Yao'er didn't care whether Shen Lang came alone or with an army; she was not afraid at all. Even if an army of not just a few thousand, but ten or twenty thousand, were to come, she could easily defeat them. This wasn't pride; it was absolute confidence.
* * *
“The snow is falling harder. It's so beautiful.”
Qiu Yao'er said nothing in response to Xu Qianqian's words.
“General, do you like children?”
Qiu Yao'er shook her head.
“I dislike them.”
Xu Qianqian was startled. Qiu Yao'er's words seemed genuine; she truly didn't seem to like children. Qiu Yao'er preferred a life free of attachments, believing that a child would only bring worries.
“Do you like Shen Lang?”
Qiu Yao'er asked suddenly. Startled, Xu Qianqian shook her head.
“Then why did you ask me if I like children? Aren't you acting as his mouthpiece? You brought this up to weaken me. You've been observing my cycle and know that my period hasn't come yet, haven't you?”
“General, I asked if you liked children precisely because I noticed that. I mentioned it intentionally, in case you hadn't considered it, to bring it to your attention.”
“A month has passed since that night, and my period still hasn't come. Do you think it's possible I'm pregnant?”
“According to Shen Lang, your body has accumulated a great deal of heavy metals, so logically, you shouldn't be able to conceive. Besides, after the bloodletting treatment last time, haven't you performed it on yourself twice more? So, it seems normal that your period hasn't arrived.”
That's right. Over the past month, Qiu Yao'er had let her own blood twice. Her blood pressure was still very high, so whenever her head ached as if it would burst, she would let her own blood. She would feel much better afterward. This woman was so full of vitality that she didn't hesitate to let blood.
“Shen Lang might come. He'll probably lead the Jin Clan's warriors to seize Raging Tide City.”
Xu Qianqian was shocked.
“That can't be. Doesn't the Jin Clan have less than two thousand elite warriors? Coming to take Raging Tide City with only two thousand men is absurd, isn't it?”
“He must be pinning his hopes on you. He'll try to kill me and everyone else inside this fortress. I've heard he's an exceptional poison user.”
Xu Qianqian shook her head frantically, then muttered.
“That man is vicious and heartless. If he could take Raging Tide City by killing me, he wouldn't hesitate to do it. Of course, that doesn't matter... it doesn't matter.”
Xu Qianqian kept shaking her head forcefully as tears streamed down her face.
“To avoid any suspicion, and to prevent me from killing you, you are not to leave this room from now on. If she takes even one step out of here, kill her immediately.”
“Yes!”
The four female warriors outside replied. And so, Xu Qianqian was confined to that room. With the fortress gates now sealed, the well inside was crucial. If someone were to poison the well, the consequences would be disastrous. In Qiu Yao'er's mind, Xu Qianqian was a source of danger who couldn't be allowed near the well, so she was placed under strict confinement.
The first reason was to deny her any opportunity to cause trouble; the second was to protect her. Qiu Yao'er didn't want to kill Xu Qianqian, but she wouldn't be particularly bothered if she had to. Returning to the main hall of the Lord's Manor, Qiu Yao'er sat on the high throne originally used by the Pirate King, Qiu Tianwei, but she felt nothing. She truly had no interest in power.
“Bring the physician of the Lord's Manor.”
A moment later, the alchemist-Daoist An Zaichun arrived. Qiu Yao'er placed a piece of paper over her wrist and said to him.
“Take my pulse.”
An Zaichun was startled, but quickly replied, "Yes." Then, An Zaichun carefully placed his fingers on Qiu Yao'er's pulse. After a long moment, he spoke.
“Young Mistress, what is it you wish to know?”
“Find out if I'm pregnant.”
For a moment, An Zaichun was so shocked he nearly jumped.
*Pregnant? What a shocking word. But Qiu Yao'er, you say it so casually? Didn't you claim to hate men? Asking to be checked for pregnancy means you've slept with a man. Do you have any idea how astonishing that news is?*
But Qiu Yao'er truly didn't care. She didn't care if others knew she had slept with a man, nor did she care if they knew she was pregnant. With no selfish desires in her heart, her magnanimity was as vast as the heavens and the earth.
An Zaichun meticulously took her pulse.
“Well?”
“Young Mistress, your pulse is extremely complex. This humble one cannot read it accurately.”
That was the truth. Born with a special bloodline and now containing a large amount of heavy metals, Qiu Yao'er's pulse was exceedingly difficult to read. Furthermore, she frequently performed bloodletting on herself and often suppressed her blood energy with her inner energy. Under these circumstances, it would be strange if her pulse were clear.
“I see.”
“Guards, place this physician in confinement. Do not mistreat him. But if he takes even a single step out of his room, kill him without mercy.”
Hearing her order, An Zaichun was inwardly horrified.
*Could it be... has my identity been exposed? Impossible. I've been undercover here for over a decade without showing any flaws. Besides, I've disfigured my appearance so much that I look completely different from my younger brother, An Zaishi. I've only met Qiu Yao'er once, and I've never had contact with the outside world!*
“W-Why?”
“First, you told my adoptive father about the ancient gold vein, which makes you suspect of instigating him. Second, you were terrified when you saw me.”
“Regarding the ancient gold vein, I was merely speaking the truth. And as for your fearsome reputation, Young Mistress, all men in the world fear you.”
“You have saved and rescued countless people. You treated all the many women I rescued, so why would you have any reason to fear me? When my adoptive father brought you to treat my illness before, you were composed. Besides, you know I bear you no ill will now. For you to suddenly fear me again is, I can only conclude, abnormal.”
“This is an injustice! An injustice!”
“I'm not killing you, just confining you. What's the need to be so dramatic?”
And so, An Zaichun was also imprisoned. Despite being intelligent, Qiu Yao'er disliked using her head. But once she decided to think, she became incomparably sharp. Just like that, both of the spies Shen Lang had planted by her side were imprisoned. This woman was truly formidable.
* * *
The distance between Raging Tide City and Wang'ai Isle was not far, only a few hundred li. Half a day later, Qiu Tianwei's nearly thirty thousand pirates and three thousand private soldiers from the Tang Clan rendezvoused at sea. The two sides exchanged no pleasantries. They looked down on each other inwardly but maintained a certain distance as they charged toward Wang'ai Isle together.
Another half-day passed, and Wang'ai Isle appeared before them, but night had already fallen. Qiu Tianwei gave the order.
“Keep your distance from Wang'ai Isle and monitor the sea for a hundred li in every direction. No ship is to enter this perimeter.”
“Yes!”
Then, over a hundred warships dispersed, faintly encircling the entire isle. At that time, a few small lights could be seen on Wang'ai Isle. It was the island's defenders, having spotted the enemy, building their defensive lines through the night. The pirates were displeased.
*If you had already built your fortress, it would have been difficult for us to breach it. But you're only starting to build your defenses now? Isn't that too late? There's no one in the world who can save you now. The Jin Clan's destruction is a foregone conclusion.*
Nothing happened throughout the night. A surprise night attack from the sea was out of the question. In this cold weather, with the pirate fleet far from the docks, were they supposed to swim ashore for a sneak attack without docking their ships? They would freeze to death before they even made it halfway.
The next day, having passed the night without incident, Qiu Tianwei slowly gave his command.
“Grand army, land on the island and kill every last one of them!”
“Kill, burn, and plunder!”
* * *
The heavy snow fell ceaselessly, blanketing the ground. Count Xuanwu, Jin Zhuo, personally led two thousand soldiers, defending a line built of stone and earth behind Wang'ai Isle's sandy beach. The elite warriors and soldiers who had originally defended Wang'ai Isle had all been taken by Shen Lang to seize Raging Tide City. As a result, the two thousand soldiers remaining by the Count's side were mostly new recruits; fewer than five hundred were experienced soldiers.
However, judging by appearances alone, nearly four thousand troops were defending Wang'ai Isle. Of course, two thousand of them were miners and militia—civilians who worked their trades in peacetime but took up arms in times of war. Dressed in armor, they looked more or less like a regular army.
The morale of these new soldiers was high. Since joining the army, they had been well-fed, warmly clothed, and generously paid every day. Moreover, their families had been subjects of the Jin Clan for generations, and their loyalty was etched into their very bones. Four thousand might not sound like much, but in person, it was a dense crowd of people, a considerable number.