Chapter 224: Empty Temporary Camp
Shaking his head to clear his mind, A Lu turned to look at the bed. Seeing Ji Hui still asleep, A Lu frowned. Sensing something was wrong, he pushed himself up from the chair and walked over.
He gently nudged Ji Hui’s arm and called, "General Ji, wake up. General Ji."
After a few calls, Ji Hui let out a groan and opened his eyes. Holding his aching head, he asked, "A Lu, why are you waking this general?"
"General, are you alright?" A Lu asked.
Raising his eyes to look at A Lu, Ji Hui’s eyes flickered briefly before he turned toward the wardrobe and ordered, "A Lu, quick. Go and check if the imperial decree is still there."
A Lu’s heart sank at his words. Nodding at Ji Hui, he hurried to the wardrobe, pushed it aside, and pulled out the brick from the wall. Reaching into the hole, he found it empty.
Turning back to look at Ji Hui, he said anxiously, "General Ji, the imperial decree is gone!"
Hearing this, Ji Hui slammed his fist on the bed and cursed, "Damn it! We fell for Feng Xiyan’s trick!"
"General Ji, what should we do?" A Lu asked.
Ignoring the pain in his back, Ji Hui got out of bed and began dressing. Seeing this, A Lu quickly stepped forward to help him.
Grabbing his sword, Ji Hui said through gritted teeth, "We must leave before Feng Xiyan sends his men to kill us!"
Just as he spoke, they heard the sound of approaching hooves.
A Lu rushed to the window, looked out, and quickly shut it again. "It’s Fan Wanming," he reported.
Clenching his sword tightly, Ji Hui said, "Let’s go to the back door."
With that, they hurried out, followed by three Ji Army soldiers who had been standing guard outside.
Three minutes later, Fan Wanming dismounted and entered the Xiqiang Inn.
Seeing him, the night watch servant was startled. Standing up from the chair, he hurried toward Fan Wanming and asked, "General Fan, what brings you here so late at night?"
"This general is here to arrest Ji Hui and his men. If you don’t want to be involved, stay inside," Fan Wanming replied calmly.
The servant froze when he heard that, then quickly said, "Yes, General Fan."
A second later, the servant hurriedly retreated to his room.
After the servant left, Fan Wanming ordered, "Arrest Ji Hui and his men. Kill anyone who dares resist."
The elite soldiers clasped their fists and responded, "Yes, General Fan!"
While they searched the inn, Fan Wanming led a small team to check the surrounding area.
At the same time, Ji Hui and his men had already run far from the inn.
Supported by A Lu, Ji Hui endured the pain, circulated his internal energy into his feet, and ran as fast as he could.
After half an hour, they finally stopped to rest near the western city gate.
Seeing that only soldiers were guarding the western city gate, Ji Hui said, "This is our chance to leave. Without any of Feng Xiyan’s generals on duty tonight, it will be easier for us to sneak out."
After thinking for a moment, A Lu said, "General Ji, your injuries still haven’t healed. Please let this subordinate carry you."
Knowing they couldn’t waste time, Ji Hui nodded. "Alright."
Getting his answer, A Lu knelt before him and said, "General Ji, please come up."
With the help of the other soldiers, Ji Hui climbed onto A Lu’s back.
Standing up, A Lu looked at the three soldiers. "Let’s go."
Leading the way, he carried Ji Hui and carefully avoided the patrolling soldiers’ line of sight.
In less than ten minutes, they climbed the city wall and slipped out of the city. Without looking back, they headed for the Ji Army’s temporary camp, avoiding both soldiers and refugees along the way.
An hour later, they stopped near the Ji Army’s temporary camp.
Drenched in sweat, A Lu panted, "General Ji, we are almost there. Please hold on."
Ji Hui’s back was already soaked with blood where his wounds had reopened. He raised his eyes and gave a faint hum in reply.
Seeing he could barely hold on, A Lu quickened his pace. Ten minutes later, they reached the main entrance of the Ji Army’s temporary camp.
Unlike their expectation, the place was deserted. A Lu’s expression sank as a bad premonition filled his heart.
Beside him, one of the soldiers asked in confusion, "Why is no one guarding the entrance?"
"Let’s go in and see what’s happened," A Lu said.
The three soldiers nodded, and they passed through the gate. Staying alert, they scanned the surroundings. After a while, they only saw a few broken pots littering the area.
Frowning deeply, A Lu searched for clues about the Ji Army’s situation. Soon, he spotted something on the ground.
He squatted and touched a dark stain in the soil. Picking some soil up, he examined it closely. A moment later, his eyes flickered with surprise.
"Be careful. There might be an enemy trap here," he reminded the three soldiers.
The three soldiers froze at his words and drew their swords.
After a moment of silence, one of them asked in a low voice, "Adjutant A Lu, what did you find?"
A Lu dropped the soil and replied grimly, "Blood stains."
Listening to his answer, the three soldiers’ expressions changed.
After a brief silence, one of them asked, "Adjutant A Lu, what should we do now? If this place isn’t safe, we need to leave this place right away."
Glancing at the unconscious Ji Hui on his back, A Lu clenched his fists and shook his head. "Without supplies, we can’t return to Xiquan City. Before we plan our next step, we need to know what happened here."
He paused, thought for a moment, and then ordered, "Let’s split up and investigate what happened here when we were away. No matter what you find, return here in a quarter of a sichen."
"Yes, Adjutant A Lu," the three soldiers replied.
Making their decision, they separated, each heading in a different direction.