PLEASE NOTE I SOMEHOW FAILED TO COPY OVER A CRUCIAL PORTION OF THE END OF 289. Please go back to 289 and read the end, otherwise you will be extremely confused.

PLEASE REREAD 289.

Qin Yining froze, unable to react!

She never thought that a convoy of surrendered Yan officials would run into a group of bandits!

The trip had been very smooth up until now. As they surrendered, they only had a contingent of Valiant Tiger escorts that was a hundred men strong. 

Most of the Valiant Tigers had already left to return to the capital ten days ago. Weichi Yan wasn’t allowed any troops with him at all, just a few loyal attendants.

The Qins were a bit better off. The emperor emeritus’ Silver Masks had lost their former master, but didn’t had failed a new one due to lack of trust. They were now beholden to Qin Huaiyuan, but most had been sent out on missions. There were only four following the caravan — five if they counted Cao Yuqing. How would that number possibly protect the entire convoy?

Qin Yining scrambled to put on her soft-soled boots. Another group of bandits came swinging at the front of the backs of horses, murderous light glinting coldly off their blades.

There were old, young, women, and the infirmed all traveling together. Screams, shrieks, and agonized wails sounded all over. Some scattered helter-skelter, while others whipped their horses into a frenzy and steered their carriages elsewhere.

The entire convoy had been swept apart. The three carriages in front of the Qins had panicked and run off in some unknown direction.

The Qin fourth miss happened to glimpse through the carriage window that Cao Yuqing had leapt onto née Sun and Qin Huaiyuan’s carriage. A crisp snap of the reins sent the carriage careening off into the northwest. 

As for Jiyun, still standing in front of their own carriage, she was adroitly dodging the first arrow that was coming their way.

“Miss, be careful!”

The enemies were firing arrows! This was a slaughter without discretion. They weren’t here for the goods and neither did they want to leave any survivors!

Within the carriage, Qin Yining quickly turned the square table onto its side and had a shrieking Qiulu and Bingtang take shelter behind it with her.

“Jiyun, you be careful!” Qin Yining tried to curl up as much as possible. Continual thuds rang out, as arrows embedded themselves into the carriage ceiling and walls. Her hands also shook a few times when the square table also took several hits. 

Qin Yining’s horrified eyes were as wide as saucers. She screamed anxiously, “Jiyun, hide! don’t mind me!”

Outside the carriage, Jiyun tumbled several times over the snowy ground and made it to the shelter of a large tree with much difficulty. However, a dense rain of arrows forced her to keep her head down. 

Unfortunately, Qin Yining’s groom was shot dead by a random arrow. When he toppled over, his grip loosened on the whip and reins in his hand.

The silvery-white Ferghana horse that had been a gift from Pang Xiao spooked and struggled free of its halter, galloping frantically into the distance with sheer fright. The ones pulling the carriage also spooked and charged haphazardly, upending the carriage from their maddened efforts.

Inside, Qin Yining, Qiulu, and Bingtang felt the world tun upside down and fell into a heap together.

The bandits seemed to have run out of arrows at this time as they raised their weapons again, throwing themselves into the fray.

Qin Yining hastily pushed her maids. “Get out, run!”

“Miss, I’m scared!” Qiulu sobbed out.

“You have to run even if you’re scared! We’ll be sitting ducks if we stay here!”