The archers standing at the base of the ladder immediately drew their bows and nocked arrows, crouching in wait. The Bai family compound was so quiet it seemed even the wind had stopped blowing.
The Bai family’s guards were all veterans from the Bai family’s private army. Well-trained, each of them were fearless warriors. Even after years of convalescing in Dadu City, they had not lost their skills. They all hoped for the day they could return to the Bai family’s private army.
At such moments, the difference between the Bai family’s servants and those of other households became apparent.
Servants from other families, even if they weren’t weeping, would be too scared to breathe easily, their legs too weak to stand.
But the Bai family’s servants had grabbed handy weapons and took their positions in the courtyard. Some even shouted oaths to defend the Chuihua gate to the death. They looked murderous, with a determination to protect the Bai Mansion at all costs.
With such guards and servants, who could possibly breach the Bai family compound?!
Suddenly, the sound of horse hooves echoed beyond the high walls, and the dull, thunderous sound of orderly footsteps reached the main gate of the Princess of Zhen’s residence.
The captain of the squad crouched on the high wall ladder with the Bai family guards loudly commanded, "Crush those bastards!"
The Bai family guards, hiding on the ladder, suddenly stood up and hurled wine jars at the perfectly arranged soldiers outside the courtyard.
The sound of breaking jars and screams were interwoven.
"Wine! It’s wine!"
Shouts erupted outside the high wall, "Be careful! It’s wine! Be careful of their use of fire!"
The Bai family archers, who had already prepared their arrows upon hearing the command, saw the wine-throwing guards descend the ladder to fetch more jars. They quickly dipped their arrowheads into the flaming oil barrel, dashed up the ladder in a few quick steps, and shot the arrows with blue flames straight at the soldiers in the alley who had shouted.
The strong liquor met the flames, and with a little wind, the blaze grew even larger. Outside the high walls of the Bai family compound, fiery light shot into the sky, accompanied by continuous screams and wails.
"Damn it! Bring the battering ram! Smash the gate! Quickly!" The leading commander had reached the high steps of the Bai family compound. He couldn’t watch idly as his soldiers were taken down by the Bai family’s wine and fire arrows, "You, go call for reinforcements! Quickly!"
The commander, in a thick Nandu dialect, urgently ordered the soldiers to break the gate.
Yue Shi, who had been crouching in front of the gate, stood up and drew his sword, glancing back at Xiao Rongyan. When Xiao Rongyan nodded, Yue Shi took the opportunity to leap down, his sword flashing coldly as he aimed for the head of the Nandu military commander.
In a split second, the leading Nandu general’s head rolled to the foot of the Bai Mansion’s high steps, his body still standing there. His hand, gripping the sword hilt, had failed to draw his weapon.
"Open the gate!" Yue Shi shouted.
Lu Ping, his expression tense, acted according to Xiao Rongyan’s recent instructions, "Archers ready! Open the gate!"
The Nandu soldiers carrying the battering ram saw their general’s head fall right at their feet. Their general’s bodyguards, too, were cleanly killed by the black-clad Bai family guards. Stunned, they dared not advance.
The crimson and gold-ringed gate of the Bai Mansion, stained by the Bai family’s blood for generations, stood firm. They had thought they needed the heaviest wood to ram it open. But before they could carry the wood up the high steps of the Bai Mansion, the gate... opened on its own.
Inside, the lights flickered, and the Bai family guards stood in line in an orderly formation.
Archers on the high wall ladder alternated in their shots, never stopping.
The Bai family’s tactic of throwing wine jars and setting them on fire had quickly shattered the Nandu soldiers’ spirits. With the leading commander dead and many troops nearly incinerated, what could the remaining Nandu forces hope to achieve? fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
Xiao Rongyan devised this strategy assuming over a thousand soldiers would attack. He intended for all Nandu soldiers entering the Bai Mansion to be obliterated to relieve Bai Qingyan of some burden. Unexpectedly... it was unclear whether King Xian underestimated the Bai family guards, or he simply couldn’t spare more soldiers to capture them, as he sent only a small force.
·
Inside Changshou Courtyard.
The wind howled through the corridor, faint battle cries and the "thud thud" of the battering echoed from the front yard.
The Second Madam, Mrs. Liu, felt like she was suffering from palpitations, her heart pounding so wildly she couldn’t sit still. The silk handkerchief in her palm was soaked with sweat.
Miss Lu and the elderly Doctor Hong were also sheltered inside Changshou Courtyard.
Doctor Hong was relatively composed; after all, he had once fought bloodily alongside King of Zhen, Bai Weiting. Seated in the outer room of Changshou Courtyard, he sipped tea, a sword placed on the round table. Should any intruders infiltrate Changshou Courtyard, he was ready to sacrifice his life to protect Second Madam and the Seventh Miss.
Miss Lu experienced such a tense situation for the first time. Seeing the faint firelight in the front yard, her heartbeat sped up.
However, little Bai Jinse, brave for her age, knelt on the soft couch, removed her shoes, and leaned against the window frame, pushing it open.
The sounds of battle became clearer. Staring intently at the faint firelight flickering from the front yard, the "thud thud" of the battering became more distinct in the otherwise silent setting.
Mrs. Liu suddenly clutched her clothing tightly, too frightened and weak to stand. At that moment, her fear was not for herself but for Bai Jinxiu and Wang Geer.
Her fear was for how she would get Bai Jinse out if the Bai family guards in the front yard failed to hold the line.
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