Chapter 23: A Fight to the Death

"Look out, Sixth Young Lady!"

The square-faced foot soldier had been keeping his eyes fixed on Pei Qinghe. Seeing Wu San charge forward like a lightning bolt, he shouted at the top of his lungs to warn her.

Wu San swung his blade in one fluid motion.

The square-faced soldier’s right arm flew into the air, accompanied by a spray of blood, and he collapsed to the ground with a shrill cry.

The fighting inside the relay station was brutal and bloody; death was everywhere, and everyone was fighting for their lives. No one paid any heed to the square-faced soldier’s miserable state.

Pei Qinghe spun around, raising her long saber to meet Wu San’s blade in mid-air.

Both of their hands went numb at the same time.

Pei Qinghe’s expression remained unchanged. With a flick of her right wrist, her blade moved with fierce, lightning-fast precision.

Wu San, however, was struck with immense shock. Caught off guard, his chest was slashed open, his robes torn apart. A searing, stinging pain flared, and blood gushed out instantly, soaking his clothes.

It was only a superficial wound, not a fatal one, but it ignited Wu San’s fury and ferocity.

He was a master under the Prince of Wei, a man whose long saber had almost never met an equal. The number of souls that had perished under his blade was beyond counting. To suffer such a setback tonight, wounded by a mere slip of a girl—and using the very weapon he excelled at, no less—was an insult.

The Prince of Wei wanted a live captive. He could not kill Pei Qinghe, but before taking her alive, he would teach her a bloody, unforgettable lesson!

Wu San’s face turned grim, his saber flashing as he unleashed a series of vicious strikes.

Pei Qinghe’s blade shifted with unpredictable, ferocious intensity.

Those nearby risked being caught in the crossfire. After two piercing screams of agony, the surrounding crowd fell back, clearing a wide space.

Captain Sun, struggling in the midst of the fray, cast a hurried glance over, unable to tell who held the upper hand.

Captain Sun was in a wretched position. The foot soldiers under his command were adept at skimming off the top while escorting the families of disgraced officials, but few were capable of real, life-or-death combat. Tonight’s attackers, meanwhile, were a band of ruthless bandits who lived by the blade. His soldiers were no match for them.

It was fortunate that they had lurked by the walls earlier, using arrows to pick off many of the bandits; otherwise, they wouldn't have lasted this long.

Guard Gao fought his way forward, edging closer to Pei Qinghe.

He was a personal guard of the Prince of Zhangwu, tasked by the Prince to protect the women of the Pei family. If anything happened to them, he would certainly be held accountable.

Especially this Sixth Young Lady Pei. The subtle, youthful affections of the Prince of Zhangwu were apparent to anyone with experience. It would be one thing if others were injured, but if Sixth Young Lady Pei suffered even the slightest harm, he would have no face left to serve the Prince.

Several guards from the Eastern Palace moved with practiced coordination, each fending off enemies while closing in on the Sixth Young Lady.

No matter how formidable she was, she was still an adolescent girl. Her opponent was nine feet tall, broad-shouldered, and ferocious in his swordsmanship—a true master.

In a duel of blades, victory and defeat were decided by life and death. There was no room for even a moment’s hesitation. They had to reach her as soon as possible to protect her!

Pei Yun was frantic with worry, Pei Yan’s eyes were bloodshot, and Mao Hongling, clutching her spear, was pushing toward Pei Qinghe.

Wu Xiuniang, too far away to reach them, swung her long sword with desperate intensity. "Everyone, pick up your weapons and fight!" she shouted.

Pei Feng and Pei Xuan were too young to fight. When the enemy charged, they had scrambled down from the walls and hidden in the cellar.

The cellar was small, originally meant for storing cabbage and radishes, but now it was packed with children and elderly women. The children, too young to understand, huddled in the darkness, terrified and wanting to cry, but their mouths were covered. "Do not cry. If you alert the villains, we will all lose our lives."

Pei Yue, hiding in the arms of her grandmother, Madam Lu, grabbed at her robes and sobbed, "Where is Cousin Qinghe? Why didn't she hide in here?"

She is out there fighting for the clan.

Madam Lu opened her mouth, but not a word could escape; tears streamed down her face.

Qinghe was only a thirteen-year-old girl, not yet even having held her coming-of-age ceremony. Yet, she had shouldered the heavy burden of the Pei clan head, propping up the family name and carrying the lives of hundreds of Pei clan members on her shoulders...

And she, the grandmother, had not helped her own granddaughter; instead, she had constantly put on airs, caused trouble, and complained.

She was truly a senile old fool; she deserved to die!

Madam Chen’s eyes were also red. For the first time in her life, she put aside her sharp tongue, clasping her hands together to pray devoutly to the heavens.

May the heavens open their eyes, protect the Pei family, and shield Qinghe so she might survive this catastrophe.

*Swish!*

The long saber flashed, leaving a bloodstain on Wu San’s left arm.

In the short time they had been fighting, Pei Qinghe had firmly seized the upper hand. While she had suffered only one minor wound, Wu San already bore four wounds of varying severity.

Fury surged through Wu San. Ignoring the pain from his injuries and forgetting the order to take her alive, he unleashed a desperate, life-for-life strike, swinging his saber down with savage force.

The power of that strike was enough to cleave a teenage girl in two.

Guard Gao, who had reached the vicinity, turned pale with shock. But he was too far to intervene. In desperation, he threw his own saber with all his might.

The blade flashed through the air, heading straight for Wu San’s back.

Wu San did not dodge, his saber continuing its downward arc without hesitation. An undercover guard lunged forward to parry with a spear, knocking the long saber off-course, sending it spinning into the air.

The sharp, icy glint descended toward her head. Pei Qinghe had nowhere to hide, nor did she intend to. She swung her blade with lightning speed, blocking the fatal blow, then kicked out with her left foot, slamming it into Wu San’s groin.

An indescribable, agonizing pain struck him.

Wu San staggered back, tears streaming from his eyes, his face contorting in unbearable agony.

The next moment, a piercing pain flared in his chest.

A sharp blade had pierced his heart.

Wu San looked up in shock. The last thing to imprint upon his vision was the girl’s face, cold as ice, her dark eyes like frozen stars.

No one knew what Wu San was thinking in his final moment.

It no longer mattered.

Wu San collapsed in defeat, his eyes wide with despair, staring unblinkingly toward the direction of the Imperial Palace in the capital.

Pei Qinghe never wasted time or energy on a battlefield. She pulled back her blade and immediately charged toward the nearest undercover guard, decapitating him before the eyes of the stunned onlookers. She then urged the petrified Guard Gao, "Find a weapon quickly and keep fighting!"

Their side had plenty of people, but few true experts who had killed or seen blood. Aside from her, Guard Gao was the most skilled, the Eastern Palace guards were decent, and Captain Sun was useful enough. A few of the foot soldiers were barely passable.

They had to take advantage of the enemy’s crumbling morale now that their leader was dead and crush them completely!

Guard Gao recovered from his shock and quickly crouched to pick up a blade.

Ahead, Pei Qinghe moved like a god of war, cutting down every enemy in her path. Scarcely anyone could last ten moves against her!

The worship and pursuit of the strong were already etched into the blood of warriors.

Guard Gao gripped his saber and followed in Pei Qinghe’s wake.

The Eastern Palace guards followed silently behind.

The nearby foot soldiers also began to gather around her, like fireflies chasing a brilliant flame.