As soon as these words fell, dozens of people rushed in from outside the door, wearing white, gray or brown fur winter hats, wearing washed and faded fur armor, holding long swords, maces, daggers, all kinds of crude and rudimentary weapons, and even people holding pitchforks, and surrounded them. The hunters had been prepared for a long time, and they thought that they could stop it.

Yu Jian's sword was unsheathed again. The hunters only saw a flash of sword light, and the dragon mark kissed Ping Xiu's neck again. The hunter commander was still not startled by such a swift attack, but the soldiers shouted nervously, and they brandished their weapons and bluffed, but not one dared to act rashly.

"Don't think I don't know there's anyone out there. It's hard for me not to hear you making such a big noise. One last warning to you: let your men leave immediately, and don't stop us from going north. Otherwise, I promise your head will move immediately. ”

"I have entertained you with wine, meat, and food, but you have threatened my life with your sword. No wonder they all say you're a heinous thug. There was no fear in Heixiu's sharp gaze, just mockery.

"I haven't forgotten that I'm your guest, but you've forgotten that she's your dragon king. Yu Jian looked at Dai Lan, "And she is still the hostess of the Golden Castle." You have no due respect for her, and you have even arranged so many people to intimidate her and threaten her. Did a letter from Castle Gold make you forget who you are, or did you never care who you were?"

"Sinners always like to judge others and forget the sins they have committed. You are a fugitive prisoner and are not in a position to judge me. You can prove with the sword in your hand how vicious and evil you are. Don't think I'm afraid of you, I'm an upright northerner. If you kill me, the young master will not let you go. You simply have nowhere to run. Heishu looked indifferent to the metallic, cold kiss on his neck. Was he putting on a show or was he really fearless?

"Just a warning. You don't deserve to have my sword stained with blood. Yu Jian withdrew his sword, his threat would only add glory to Ping Xiu. He helped Dai Lan with one hand and walked towards the door. "But that doesn't mean I won't do it. Guardian, remember your mission and send the lady and the third prince to the Golden Castle safely. ”

"No, I can't. Dai Lan, who was in a trance, suddenly spoke, as if she had suddenly woken up in a dream. "I can't leave my mother and the little giant behind, I want to be with them. ”

"If Your Majesty wants me to kill everyone here, just one word. He looked into Dailan's beautiful, but distracted eyes, "I promise to do it cleanly, they won't have too much pain." ”

You should understand, Delan. More than just two bodies. There were only two of us, and it was impossible to go on the road with two wagons and so many coffins.

She stared at him with her head held high, angry and helpless, and he thought she would be angry at him, or too angry to hold on. But none. She just hung her head, didn't say a word, and submitted to him.

None of the hunters tried to stop them from leaving, and the rudimentary, crude weapons bumped against each other in a hollow threat, but nothing more. Even if it was a flat repair, there was no action. It seems that he also knows that life is much more precious than a moment of bravery.

Leaving the Wolf's Tooth Fortress went a little more smoothly than expected. Yu Jian took out a carriage from the stable, there was a stove on it, it was rough but strong, he brought a lot of charcoal and lit the stove. There were drinks, dry food, fur blankets, and he wrapped a woolen cloak around his body, and then wrapped his head tightly so that he would not be recognized. Although the cold was not his enemy now, after all, there was no coachman, and driving a carriage in such weather was a chore. Dailan lay in a large pile of fur bedding, accompanied by the fire. The reserves in the north are not rich enough, but they can still be replenished along the way, and when Gao Jie and Mo Xu saw them off, they each stuffed a package for him, which was filled with a heavy gold circle. He didn't let Dai Lan know about these things, and he didn't expect them to come in handy so quickly.

However, no amount of gold can eliminate the immediate difficulties for him, and more than sixty dragon steps are still a rather difficult distance to walk in the snow season. He had never driven such a long distance in this weather before, but luckily Dailan had made a few trips back and forth on this road, and knew some places where they could rest and rest.

The road behind the Wolf's Tooth Fortress is smoother than the undulating hills from Iron Wall City to Long Fence City. There were also much more business trips between Saltwater and Long Fence, and the smaller chambers of commerce could not afford to transport long distances during the snow season, so they concentrated their goods in Long Fence City, and then the larger chambers of commerce were responsible for transshipment. The Bountiful Chamber of Commerce also has branches in the northern cities, and they have good quality chariot and horse facilities, experienced coachmen, and enough money to hire and support enough and good enough guards.

Along the way, Yu Jian braved the wind and snow and watched the large and small caravans come and go on the Road of the Virtuous King, the large trucks tightly wrapped in thick canvas were tied together one by one by iron chains, and the strong horses and mules dragged them forward with all their might. Horse mules are the offspring of a cross between a male donkey and a mare, and they are easier to raise if they eat less, but they have greater tenacity and strength, and are the main means of transportation for the Northern Chamber of Commerce. As a result, they are also more expensive in the north, even more expensive than a horse, especially during the snow season, when they are bought by the Chamber of Commerce and are reluctant to sell them.

They stayed overnight, and there were inns on the plains for business travelers some distance away, and during the snow season their business was surprisingly good, and passers-by were often forced to stay until the weather improved. On the first night they were lucky enough to find the only room left, because the roof of this room was cracked in many places, and although there was a canvas blocking the cracks, the cold wind still poured into it, and it was almost uninhabitable. But this was not too difficult, and he left Dailan at the inn, and drove out in a carriage for more than an hour, bringing back a new roof, five rows of oak branches firmly tied with red vines. The oak was solid, and the red vine was strong, blocking the air leak in the dilapidated house, and then filling it with grass, and tying it with canvas and hemp rope. Because Yu Jian solved the trouble of this room and only stayed for one night, the owner said that he would not charge them for accommodation, and would also send some cured meat and forage to them on their way.

But this night, Yu Jian still ran into trouble. In the same room with Dai Lan, he was anxious, Dai Lan was tired and in a trance, and fell into a deep sleep soon after going to bed. He sat on a pile of hay and kept out the cold with the fur mattress of the cart, but he could not sleep for a long time. Outside the window, the stars appeared and disappeared, and the cold wind whistled and slammed against the makeshift roof made of canvas and oak, making a terrifying sound that he had feared would be torn off, but they were still safe when he awoke.

He couldn't remember when he had fallen asleep, he couldn't sleep in a dream or in a starry time, and when he opened his eyes, Dailan was still asleep, the sky was like a thick black cloak, and the cold wind was still howling, but the roof was no longer trembling, and the snow was piling up on it. He expects the house's vault beams to be strong enough, just as he expects the sun to rise tomorrow.

They were back on the road after the next day's wind. Prior to this, Yu Jian contacted the head of a caravan, whose emblem was a red diamond-shaped gem, calling himself the "Red Diamond Chamber of Commerce". He had never heard of it, but it didn't matter, as long as they were willing to sell him two strong horses and mules.

"If it's the Abundance Chamber of Commerce, they'll ask for a higher price. But we are fairer with red diamonds, and this is true for all business. We northerners always pay more attention to integrity, money to earn, but also to be fair. When you touch these two sturdy guys, you know that I didn't cheat you. After receiving fifteen gold yuans, the horse-faced man said solemnly.

Yes, you didn't cheat me, you were killing me. You had asked for twenty gold yuan. Ten gold yuan for a mule, I'm crazy. Horses and mules walk a little slower, but they have more relaxed feed requirements and better strength and endurance. And in this kind of ice and snow, the advantage of fast horses has long been gone.

On the twenty-first day of the sword, they finally saw the gray-white walls of Saltwater City. The night they stayed at the farmhouse, Yu Jian still didn't sleep well, thinking that he was almost at his destination at noon, and he didn't rest, so he baked a few wheat cakes on the charcoal stove to fill his stomach, and continued on his way.

The long drive made Yu Jian feel tired, but he was more worried about Dai Lan, her abdomen was already bulging, and whoever looked closely could tell that she was pregnant. And she hadn't been getting enough rest these days, and she was mentally devastated, and every time he passed by inns and farmhouses along the way, he asked her if she wanted to stop, but the answer was "no".

Dai Lan tells him that Kang Xian, the lord of Saltwater City, is a scheming man who is not easy to deal with, but fortunately he is far away from the front line, and the garrison officer is either his son or his younger brother, and Dai Lan does not know any of them.

Saltwater City was the fief of the Kang family for generations, and animal husbandry and planting were relatively developed. The Qin family had strict rules on the strength of vassals within their territory, and although the Kang family could afford a larger army, the Qin family only allowed them to maintain a number of five thousand men to match the size of their city. Such military restrictions may have upset some vassals, but the leaders of the Qin family have always been strong, and no one dared to disagree.

When they arrived at the city gate, they were met with a routine check, and the soldiers guarding the gate did not know Long Dailan, and when Dailan revealed his identity, he looked at the woman with a tired face and a good white linen filial piety dress for a while, and finally went in to inform his superiors.

A fat officer-looking man came out to receive them, but he didn't know Dai Lan either, so he placed them in the rest room of the city tower sentry post, saying that he would continue to consult his superiors. After tossing and turning like this for half an hour, a civil official who recognized Long Dailan finally appeared and took them to the city lord's fortress.