Forced Into the Palace: Becoming the Emperor's Favorite-Chapter 444: Ambush Site

Afraid that there might be an assassination attempt here.

Even the horses under them sensed the tension and charged forward recklessly.

Just as they rushed out of the bamboo forest, they saw Sansha Bay not far away.

Only then, the always serious Third Master Liu shouted loudly.

"Father, we’ve reached Sansha Bay! Let’s cross the river quickly! Once we regroup our three armies, I’ll send those from Pingzhou to meet King Yan!"

Third Master Liu spat.

Releasing all the frustration of recent days.

The Marquis of Northwest said nothing, but his horse galloped at lightning speed.

The people following them also showed long-lost smiles.

Crossing Sansha Bay meant entering the territory of Ganzhou.

They just needed to run for another day to reach the large camp of the Northwest Army.

By then, getting promoted and rich would be effortlessly done.

The more they thought about it, the more they felt the past hardships were worthwhile.

Unfortunately, they were unaware that what awaited them was a deadly trap.

They had traversed more than half the journey on the flat ground.

Seeing that Sansha Bay was getting closer, everyone became increasingly excited.

The leading Marquis of Northwest, however, seemed to detect something amiss.

He furrowed his brows slightly, but before he could react, his body weakened.

The horse beneath him stumbled into a pit.

The people in front didn’t have time to stop before those behind crashed into them.

Falling one after another.

It was chaos, with cries of pain everywhere.

This was a pit that Feng Qi and Jiang Huanqing had ordered to be dug long beforehand.

It was filled with thorns and sharp bamboo stakes.

Of the original entourage of fewer than fifty followers, only a few dozen remained.

Those were the ones who abandoned their horses and escaped when they fell.

Third Master Liu was not as keen as the Marquis of Northwest.

He too fell in.

A sharp bamboo pierced his thigh.

He gritted his teeth in pain.

Unable to exert enough force to escape.

Unless he was willing to give up the leg!

"Ah, father, save me, save me!"

Outside the pit, the Marquis of Northwest was gasping for breath.

Surviving the ordeal didn’t relax him; instead, he felt surrounded by threats, with doom approaching.

The dozen or so people around him all gathered close and spoke to him.

"Marquis, are you alright?"

The Marquis of Northwest shook his head.

He then quickly gave an order.

"Go check on Third Master."

"Yes."

The person walked to the edge of the pit and looked down.

Only to find that the pit was at least three to four zhang deep.

Seeing Third Master Liu’s leg pinned to a sharp bamboo, he didn’t know how to help.

If they had a rope, they might have had a chance.

For now, it was truly a case of "a clever wife unable to cook without rice."

Inside, there were also some injured followers lying in disarray.

Some had broken hands, others pierced legs.

Each struggled but only bled more when they tried.

"Third Master, don’t worry, the Marquis will figure out a way to get you out."

"Okay."

Third Master Liu, having been on the battlefield, endured the pain without constant wailing.

The man was about to lower his belt when he noticed the ground around them, which had been peaceful.

Soon small and large mounds appeared.

Upon closer inspection, they were people disguised with camouflage.

Those people held bows and arrows, all aimed at them.

Even those unafraid of death felt their hearts chill upon seeing this.

Unable to help swallowing nervously.

Unconsciously gathering around the Marquis of Northwest.

Unaware of what was happening, Third Master Liu in the pit shouted seeing no movement outside.

"Where is everyone?"

Instead of being met with rescue from comrades, he was answered by the howling cold wind.

Sansha Bay, once a calm river, now seemed to harbor hidden darkness.

The once shimmering surface now resembled the enemy’s armor, gleaming with fatal light.

The Marquis of Northwest, full of pride, had never feared anything.

He immediately sneered.

Shouting to the soldiers not far away.

"May I know who you are? To have the skill to predict this marquis’s thoughts, come out and meet me, and I shall ensure you a bright future and a meteoric rise!"

Upon hearing this, Feng Qi and Jiang Huanqing exchanged a glance.

This Marquis of Northwest was indeed relentless in his ambition.

Even in such a situation, he aimed to win hearts.

So, they both emerged from their hiding place.

Their faces and bodies were concealed, making it impossible to discern their specific appearance.

Upon seeing their disguise, the Marquis of Northwest remained fearless, his eyes showing appreciation.

"Talents emerge in every generation, being able to predict my returning route and prepare in advance, indeed impressive skills!"

One must admit that the Marquis of Northwest possessed extraordinary poise.

Faced with adversity, there was no panicked screaming, no trembling fear.

He focused more on negotiating a way out.

For this reason alone, one had to respect him.

"What has the Little Emperor promised you? I will offer hundreds of times more! If you let me go today, all of Sui Province shall be yours!"

He offered immense wealth freely.

The Emperor’s promises of gold and riches naturally couldn’t compare to owning Sui Province.

Indeed, this Marquis of Northwest was "generous."

Unfortunately, he faced two resolute individuals.

Feng Qi’s expression was serious, and his heart neither jumped nor his face reddened, showing no regard for such offers, and he spoke.

"Such arrogance, one might think Da Wei is under your sole command, without considering today might be your day of death!"

When the word "death" was mentioned, they expected the Marquis of Northwest to be afraid.

To their surprise, he suddenly laughed heartily.

In the cold wind, he showed no weakness.

Instead, he exuded a magnificent aura. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

In an instant, even Feng Qi and Jiang Huanqing felt a hint of awe.

If it weren’t for his rebellious inclinations.

With such ability, they would have truly admired him!

Unfortunately, the human heart has its inclinations.

From their perspective, the actions of this Marquis of Northwest made him a traitor and a rebel.

Naturally, a candidate for severe punishment!

"I have defended the Northwest for decades, circling the barracks since I could walk. You think with just a few people you can take my life? Isn’t that overly simplistic?"

"Furthermore, I don’t believe the Little Emperor would let me die so trivially, the fate of Prince Zhan is something I’ve heard of."

Although he said this, the hand behind his back trembled slightly.

Whether it was from pulling the reins or the revealing of inner thoughts.

His words made one wonder if there were backup plans.

Feng Qi was the first to frown.