The Princess Cannot Escape: The Cunning Prince Is Not to Be Messed With

Chapter 46 Protecting Her

Leaning against the door, Yin Quan heard everything clearly, not even missing a single punctuation mark.

Two seven-member teams from the Demon Slayer Red Clan...

Having spent so much time together over the past few days, she had also heard about Ghost Slash, the top-secret combat team directly under the Duan Prince's Mansion.

The Oni-Giri organization is divided into seven levels based on combat prowess, from top to bottom: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple. The Red Group consists of the true elite assassins worthy of the title "Oni," proficient in all confidential matters, including assassination, intelligence gathering, and warfare.

One Pang Ban wasn't enough, so they had to send two more Seven-Man Squads of the Demon Slayer Crimson Clan to protect her...

Xiahou Ying's deep, reserved voice lingered in her ears. Yin Quan frowned slightly, and her hands, which had been resting lightly on the door frame, unconsciously curled up.

The Northern Garrison Camp is a full 600 li away from Santong County. Coupled with the obstruction of mountains and forests, even if the traitor within the army were willing to fight to the death, they probably couldn't get close in a short time… unless… unless he was guarding against someone else… Could it be that he knew from the beginning that there was more than one traitor?! And that person wasn't even in the army?!

Upon closer examination, a chill ran down Yin Quan's spine, and a sudden suspicion arose in her heart.

If Xiahou Ying's gentleness was just an act...

If I am merely bait to lure him out of his hole...

if……

She didn't continue thinking about it, but her hands had already clenched into fists without her noticing, revealing pale and bluish knuckles.

Standing motionless in the corridor, which remained as quiet as ever, as if no one had ever been there. Yin Quan stared at the tightly sealed door for a long time before turning around, walking back to the bed, lying down, and closing her eyes.

The bedclothes seemed to still retain the pleasant scent of morning dew from Xiahou Ying, as if he were still beside her, close to her, kissing her, continuing their tender and intimate embrace.

Standing quietly outside the door, Xiahou Ying's lips were pressed straight, and his dark eyes flickered with light, but ultimately they darkened.

He knew that, given Yin Quan's personality, she would have overheard his entire conversation and analyzed it perfectly. He had no intention of hiding anything from her about this matter.

He was taking a risk, risking her life and his own trust. He was also gambling, gambling on her shrewdness and his own judgment of people.

He believed he hadn't misjudged her, and he was even more certain that Yin Quan was a woman who would never disappoint him.

Hearing footsteps coming from inside the door, Xiahou Ying pursed her lips, her emotions gradually calming down as the footsteps faded into the distance.

He stood at the door for a while, his gaze fixed on the door, which was already showing signs of peeling paint. Then he turned and walked toward the staircase at the end of the corridor.

Following behind him, Wei Jun remained silent throughout, deeply worried about his master.

It's true that the master lured the snake out of its hole, but the seven-member Ghost Slayer Crimson Group is almost the core elite of the entire Ghost Slayer. The fact that the master sent out two teams shows that he really went all out for that Miss Yin!

Wei Jun felt a pang of heartache, but also a deep sense of helplessness.

After all, this was the first time he had ever seen his master go to such lengths to protect one person.

Thinking of this, Wei Jun quickened his pace to catch up with Xiahou Ying and then mounted his horse.

After that day, Xiahou Ying and Wei Jun settled in the Northern Garrison Camp, no longer traveling between the two places. Even without him, Yin Quan didn't feel bored. After all, she had the naturally alluring, long-legged goddess Lian Hongling by her side. For her, even just looking at beautiful women every day was incredibly pleasant. Moreover, the two had endless topics to discuss and countless places to explore in the bustling city; it couldn't be more enjoyable.

Xiahou Ying and Wei Jun had been staying at the Northern Garrison for five days. During these five days, Yin Quan dragged Lian Hongling through every street and alley in Santong County, visited every casino in the city, and ate every kind of snack, famous and unknown. If Lian Hongling hadn't refused to go to a brothel, Yin Quan probably could have taken over the job of a madam with her silver tongue.

Yin Quan lived a very happy life, but it was Pang Ban and the Ghost Slayer brothers who were secretly protecting him who suffered greatly.

When she went east, Pang Ban and his brothers followed her east; when she went west, the poor guys followed her west.

She wanted to go up to the roof, so Pang Ban prepared a ladder for her.

She wanted to gamble, and her hapless brothers, the Ghost Slayers, immediately infiltrated the gamblers to prevent those burly men from taking advantage of her. They even cheated repeatedly to help her win money.

In just five days, Yin Quan had become famous in Santong County, becoming a victorious female gambling queen at an extremely rapid pace, winning battle after battle with an amazing record.

Inside the tent, Xiahou Ying looked at the message that had been delivered today. He no longer frowned; instead, a barely perceptible, soft smile appeared on his lips.

Yin Quan is always doing outrageous things. On the surface, it seems to be rude and disorderly, but upon closer inspection, it seems to be her unique charm.

She was clearly afraid of trouble and timid, yet she stubbornly followed him all the way here. She seemed indifferent to everything and lived for the moment, but once she got serious, she was so shrewd and quick-witted that even he was amazed.

Thinking this, Xiahou Ying channeled his inner energy, turning the paper in his hand into dust. He closed his fingers and then opened them again, and in an instant, countless fine powders flew out from between his fingers.

Time passed day by day. If the supplies from the rear did not arrive tonight, the soldiers guarding the north might break the last thread of their reason and conscience, and vent all the pain and hunger they had endured over the past few days.

Although the soldiers in the camp did not show much emotion, the pairs of eyes looking westward were enough to prove their desire for the country, for food, and for survival at this moment.

The soldiers waited from dawn until noon and from noon until dusk. As the sky turned from blue to red, the rolling, fiery clouds, like blood-stained banners, roared and surged into the soldiers' eyes and hearts, like ferocious and terrifying tongues of fire, burning and devouring even their last pitiful hope.

As the sky gradually darkened and settled, Xiahou Ying stood outside the tent with his hands behind his back.

He knew very well that once night fell, everyone's will would be truly worn down by hunger and death. At that time, these people would no longer be steel bodies protecting their homeland, but would be completely enslaved by humanity.

Suddenly, at that moment, a flash of orange-red fire appeared in the deep purple shadows of the forest in the distance.

Then two, three, like lit fuses, quickly connected to form lines, and then the lines gathered into a whole.

The soldiers' eyes lit up instantly, and someone shouted, "It's supplies! It's the Lu family army!"

The soldiers' shouts ignited like wildfire throughout the entire Northern Garrison Camp. Everyone seemed to forget their pain, their hunger, and the hardships of the past few days. All eyes were fixed on a common point, their gazes shining brightly.

Holding torches, Yin Quan and Lian Hongling mingled among the people, walking unsteadily through the woods. At this moment, Pang Ban was driving a carriage at the very front of the entire procession.

As the people carrying grain and vegetables drew ever closer to the Northern Garrison, several "poof" sounds rang out, and all the torches in their hands went out.

Upon seeing this, Yin Quan was shocked. She had instructed Pang Ban to secretly gather the people, and there were even a few Ghost Slayer warriors mixed in among them. She had absolute confidence in Ghost Slayer. Now, to be able to extinguish their torches without Ghost Slayer noticing was either due to their exceptional martial arts skills or that they were traitors! Either way, it was not a good sign.

She had to give Xiahou Ying a heads-up...

As the flames that had just appeared were extinguished in an instant, the soldiers of the Northern Garrison immediately widened their eyes, only making hollow "gurgling" sounds in their throats. They were confused and bewildered, shocked and helpless at having their hopes suddenly extinguished.

The soldiers looked at each other in bewilderment at first, then looked ahead again, repeating this process over and over, as if they did not believe the sudden change that had just occurred, still holding onto hope for the torch that they did not know whether it was friend or foe.

"It was the traitor Lu Xun who intercepted our supplies!" Just as all the soldiers fell into silent panting, someone shouted out again. The voice was particularly loud in the endless darkness, like a giant steel chariot carrying wind and fire, crushing the soldiers who had been holding on until now, crushing their reason.

"The treacherous Lu Xun intercepted our supplies!"

"Kill the traitors! Seize the grain and provisions!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The shouts rose and fell, and the northern garrison trembled as the soldiers raised their arms and shouted louder and louder, almost being torn apart by the sound waves.

Looking at those young faces, agitated by the incitement, Xiahou Ying pursed his lips.

Now is not the time.

"Quiet!" he uttered, his voice deep and resonant like an iron bell, steady as a rock in the deep sea.

In an instant, the entire Northern Garrison Camp fell silent. Everyone stared intently at the upright, slender figure outside the commander's camp, holding their breath.

Shen Xin and the other generals stood behind him. Although they were more robust than him, they were completely overwhelmed by the chilling aura he exuded.

The soldiers stationed at the Northern Garrison might not know, but veteran generals like Shen Xin knew very well that Prince Duan, Xiahou Ying, despite being a prince, had single-handedly charged into the enemy camp three years ago and wiped out an entire elite force of a hundred Southern Barbarians.

No one knows how he fought that battle.

No one knows why he chose to venture into the camp alone.

The military commanders knew only one thing: not a single one of the hundred elite soldiers was intact. That night, the blood moon hung in the sky, and blood rained down. Only one man, covered in blood, stood amidst the corpses, like a bloodthirsty demon emerging from hell, feeding on sin and blood as he descended to earth.

It was because of that battle that Prince Duan, Xiahou Ying, earned the title of Evil King. However, as the years have passed, he has long since removed his golden armor, and the title of Evil King has almost been forgotten.

Shen Xin subconsciously looked up at the sky, pursed his lips, and looked at Xiahou Ying with a complicated expression.

Dark clouds filled the sky, obscuring the moonlight.

He knew the importance of this battle to defend the pass, but he never expected that the emperor would choose him.

The legendary evil king whose blood sword points to the sky, causing the heavens and earth to change color.

"I know the hardships you have endured guarding the pass for seven days! But you are the iron bulwark of the nation! You are the soldiers of the nation! Answer me, what is the duty of a soldier?" Xiahou Ying spoke, his straight figure flickering in the flickering torchlight, his features resolute.

"Defend our homeland! Be loyal to the emperor and benefit the people!" Few responded, but their voices were loud and clear, like eagles breaking through the clouds and boulders crashing through the sea ice.

"Defend our homeland! Be loyal to the emperor and benefit the people!" After a brief silence, a series of resounding shouts rose and fell as soldiers slammed their heavy steel swords into the ground, producing a powerful clang that seemed to be the cry of the military spirit within them.

The sound of metal rings out continuously, and restlessness disappears.

With just a few words, Xiahou Ying swept away all the fatigue, weariness, and restlessness that had gripped the soldiers, easily averting a crisis that was about to erupt.